I'd be happy to let you be on my unit. Let me know if you want to get together before hand so the Astro 220 handheld will "identify" Hair of the dog. We can test your installation at the same time as well. Or you can just borrow it for a bit. 🙂

My number is 3-- 921-8709

Mike, Ill call you in a week or two. Got to get the taxes out the door first. Then I hope to turn my attention to rockets. Maybe by then I can have every thing mounted and ready to test. thanks

scotte

I ordered two of them Saturday after I got back from the launch. Too cool an idea.

Warren

Another misidentified rocket part.

A fantastic idea.

Not only a mis-identified rocket part, but cheaper than a Big Red Bee plus receiver, FAR cheaper than an ARTS or an RDAS or any of the other made-for-the-purpose rocketry GPS units. Likely to have at least 7-10 miles range in line-of-site for a rocket in the air. Biggest problem is the receiver antenna and circuitry on the Garmin base unit. With a Yagi, could probably squeak 15 or 20 miles out of the thing.

W

ok, i'll bite. can somebody please explain what the heck you guys are talking about? i can't tell much, but it sounds like it's a locator and it sounds like it's a cool toy. i may want one ... !

It's George Jetson's Dog!

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=209&pID=8576

Ken

cool, but man, isn't it kind of BIG?!

Mike installed it in his 3" bird with the only mod being an antenna cable. By pulling the guts out of the waterproof and rugged housing, I think he said it would fit 54 or maybe even 38mm? Mike?

Sure wish this had all been known to me before I bought the Rinos. I'll see how they work soon.

Ken

I think I will buy stock in Garmin!!!

Not only a mis-identified rocket part, but cheaper than a Big Red Bee plus receiver, FAR cheaper than an ARTS or an RDAS or any of the other made-for-the-purpose rocketry GPS units. Likely to have at least 7-10 miles range in line-of-site for a rocket in the air. Biggest problem is the receiver antenna and circuitry on the Garmin base unit. With a Yagi, could probably squeak 15 or 20 miles out of the thing.

W

The Dog tracker can be used as a pretty reliable source of tracking.. But it is FAR....FAR...FAR away from even being close to or capable of what the ARTS-II with GPS and down link does. Not even in the same class. With the ARTS package you get a full featured fully programmable altimeter that uses both Baro and Accel. Its has programmable outputs for deployment and other uses. All fully adjustable. The GPS can conect with a PC and use a maping program like Google maps to bring up a real live map with Longitude and Latitude tracking just like the DOG Track does and easily as far away. (you can then put those coordinates in your hand held GPS and walk right to the rocket) with a even better thing yet NO interference with current electronics so they can be run in the standard Ebay with the altimeters. In fact the GPS unit mounts and plugs right into the Altimeter board. They other great function of the ARTS besides that and tracking. Is the Downlink. With that you will know the speed, Altitude, Events and more in real time. Sorry Warren. (and everyone else) Not to sound like a commercial But after playing with the ARTS set up I found it quite cool and hard to beat as all it does. I find its not even in the same class as A dog tracker and is not comparable personally.

Not only a mis-identified rocket part, but cheaper than a Big Red Bee plus receiver, FAR cheaper than an ARTS or an RDAS or any of the other made-for-the-purpose rocketry GPS units. Likely to have at least 7-10 miles range in line-of-site for a rocket in the air. Biggest problem is the receiver antenna and circuitry on the Garmin base unit. With a Yagi, could probably squeak 15 or 20 miles out of the thing.

W

The Dog tracker can be used as a pretty reliable source of tracking.. But it is FAR....FAR...FAR away from even being close to or capable of what the ARTS-II with GPS and down link does. Not even in the same class. With the ARTS package you get a full featured fully programmable altimeter that uses both Baro and Accel. Its has programmable outputs for deployment and other uses. All fully adjustable. The GPS can conect with a PC and use a maping program like Google maps to bring up a real live map with Longitude and Latitude tracking just like the DOG Track does and easily as far away. (you can then put those coordinates in your hand held GPS and walk right to the rocket) with a even better thing yet NO interference with current electronics so they can be run in the standard Ebay with the altimeters. In fact the GPS unit mounts and plugs right into the Altimeter board. They other great function of the ARTS besides that and tracking. Is the Downlink. With that you will know the speed, Altitude, Events and more in real time. Sorry Warren. (and everyone else) Not to sound like a commercial But after playing with the ARTS set up I found it quite cool and hard to beat as all it does. I find its not even in the same class as A dog tracker and is not comparable personally.

As you said "Not even in the same class"
Bench racing is cheaper than the real thing! 😉
I think that unit is way more expensive!
If I had my drothers I would own one.
However like many others, I have many other responsibilities like
Motgages,gas and electric, 401k, children and "BEER"
I think the price, lack of the need for a licence, and the fact you can use it on you Bird Dog too, gives it many advantages!
I think this thing is cheaper than Mikes last moter! 😉 😉

I'm talking about bang-for-the-buck Conway. With an ARTS w/GPS, you've got over $1000 invested in the unit plus GPS module ($189+$850 - last prices I have for the ARTS and its GPS) and you still don't have a receiver and antenna. Believe me, I got into something of an argument with Jeff Taylor on the TRA list about a year ago over the price and manufacturing costs of it and probable profit margins involved.

With the Garmin Dog Collar system, you throw $450 or so down and get both receiver and transmitter and then have enough money to throw whatever altimeter/flight controller - including an ARTS - into your bird. In addition, the receiver unit can track up to 10 of them simultaneously. Yes, you'll certainly get better range with the ARTS and more functionality, but in terms of how much money you have to lay out, I don't think you can beat this combo. An ARTS+GPS board stack is nearly the same size and definitely won't fit a 38mm bird, probably won't fit a 54mm bird (don't have the ARTS dimensions here, but I know the board is large compared to an RRC2X or mini). For the purposes of flying at the North Site or Atlas Site, this Garmin rig is a tremendous deal over any of the alternatives.

I can't wait to see what Mike can do in terms of re-packaging one of these babies to see if it will fit in a 38mm bird.

Warren

It's really a matter of what you're looking for. I liken it (in my field) to a full functional parametric test vs. a pass/fail test. Do you want to get all the data while the rocket is in flight (i.e. motor/propellant characterization) or do you just want to know how high it went and get it back easily?

I'm still kicking myself for passing on a new ARTS GPS TX/RX pair on ebay for just over $500, but it's way overkill for my current use/abilities.

For now, a MAWD or RRC2 with either a Rino or DC20 will suit. If I hadn't already invested in the Rinos, I would jump on the DC20. Will have to see.

Ken