Bruce,

Your 12 beats my 13 Nar number. Heres my 2 cent analysis. A venn diagram shows overlap between groups. My guess is that there are 8 or so guys who regularly fly/participate at both T-C and NCR(myself, James R, John's Wilke and Bixler, Davids Tjark and Hansen, Joe H, Ed W, Greg, Art H and a few others intermittently). If i missed you sorry.

Now take the other pair of circles Crash and T-C, myself (at least once before the lake ate two rockets and only spit one back, both Daves, James R who provides a lot of support if not flies out of there--james don't do much under M..., Chris LaPanse (new)and others I don't know.

Then take the overlap between NCR/Crash-- a few, raise your hands if you belong to it, I have seen Warren, Tim, Chris LaPanse, and several others.

Now to the chase, practically none of the intensely competitive group w/in Crash (yourself excluded?) bunch belongs to either other club. I thought about doing a major NAR thing this year, esp as my old archrival Matt Steele, was directing this year NARAM's, and had a payback. But for various reasons lost interest.

Bottom line: Joe H is in support of NARcontest from Pawneee/Atlas. I am. Crash has volunteered a complete support group to administer. I have talked to death about the benefits, even proposed way to co-administer during one of our three days. There is nothing in it except our future, Its payback/investment time.
John

Well said, John. I'm not a member of CRASH. I just found NCR by luck. You can't host a NAR event with a lake on the site. Trees would be bad enough. The Pawnee sites are perfect. Since you've delved into this issue before, I don't know what to say, other than how do we get it going? If you, Joe, and others are for it, AND CRASH is volunteering to help host it, then what's the problem? I'd definitely be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Right now, I'm concentrating on my L3. I have health issues (chronic asthma, and my allergy bucket is full in Colorado, and type-1 diabetes), and I just have to go that extra step soon. Feel like I'm running toward a finish line. Once that's accomplished, then I want to focus on the club and do whatever I can for the club. Hosting an event like NAR's annual sport launch would be a good test for us. From that experience, we could assess whether we're able to actually host bigger launches. It could put to rest or give a new insight into whether we are capable of hosting a NARAM (their 50th, 2008?) or an LDRS. Most of us give a "no way" to an LDRS, and that's another thread. We do well with two big launches a year, but they are for members and anyone who can make it. However, a NAR launch would bring people from farther away, and in my opinion, that's our next step. Any thoughts?

I think it would be a good idea. It would draw a lot of people, yes, but I think it is manageable. It is certainly nothing like an LDRS, but we have the site for it and it would bring a little more recognition. Also, as you mentioned, it would be a good test to see how we handle a bigger launch.

I'm all for it. 😀

Bruce,

Now thats a really interesting idea. But getting back to your inquiry, what will it take just to get a good regional NAR event flown from North. I think at least the following:

first and foremost coordination with CRASH. They will be running the show so to speak, bringing theodolites, and the manpower to use em. I've tracked in the past, but easy stuff for the most part. Would it be run in a one day, two day, wish list, etc. Without their participation, we got zilch.

Secondly, communication with the NCR brain trust via Joe. I think it would help to have a well crystallized agenda that can be shown to present no interference to regular club activities, and little if any additional work for the club. I think it would be an uphill battle to suggest using one of the 3 day events, altho the turnout would be much better, and the contest potentially of much greater quality.

Third, we need to have someone or some people officially designated at the JAN NCR mtg--as in NAR liason officer or something like that. Like many of the NCR volunteers, Warren has tons on his plate, and we need some official status such that whatever committee forms can communicate with the exec committee directly or via Joe/the next president elect.

And lots of volunteerism, more TARC contacts etc, the better.
John

Oh, boy... I've been thinking about a way to reply to this. Let's see, John Wilkes has contacts with at least one TARC team, Joe is our main NAR contact, I stood in line with Jay Apt at NARAM-11 in 1969--and while I remember him, he sure as hell wouldn't know who I am. Joe, I believe, has talked with CRASH representatives. NAR still uses theodolites? That's a good point: we don't have all the necessary equipment for any major launch event. NAR will have high power though. 😀 I really doubt if Joe is going to commit to anything until more people step up and volunteer. Nor should he. John, let's you and I speak up at the Jan NCR meeting and see what people think. I'm sure Joe will bring it up again, if more people volunteer at the launches and he feels people other than him and the core group will carry the weight. We'll pursue this then and get a determination. And, yes, Warren can't do more than he is already doing. Nor should he.

Bruce,

Totally agree, we need to carry the weight, otherwise it aint happening. We should do some prep work prior to the Jan mtg, ordinating with Crash, and have a clear plan to present.

I'm just not gonna go out on a limb again unless I feel we have enough time/energy to pull it off. With your help I think it can happen.
John S

Agreed, John. Just let me know who I need to contact and anything I can do.

Bruce,

One thing to do is go to the CRASH site and subscribe to their list sender--I get the once a day bulletin. You can get a feel for the various members and club activities. There should be rising excitement as Naram is approaching and being outside Phoenix, lot of guys will be attending,
John

Done.

Personally, being a member of NCR (and PHITS before that), I would love our club to sponsor an NAR national event. However, I don't think doing a NARAM is the right thing for our club. That would feel more like CRASH borrowing our launch site than anything else. Most of the NCR members know nothing about model rocket competition, and don't care to. We've held one NAR sanctioned competition in our entire history (and it was an event probably no other NAR club has ever held -- G SuperRoc).

The timing for NARAM is also completely wrong for our club. NARAM is typically held in July, when we are at greatest risk of a fire ban.

It makes much more sense for our club to hold NSL (National Sport Launch). The timing of that (typically over the 3 day Memorial Day Weekend) would mean that we could just delay MHM and have a combined MHM/NSL launch.

We could borrow launch equipment from T-C (high power pads) and CRASH (low power pads), and possibly need to expand our launch controller, but otherwise I think doing an NSL is something we can do.

Other concerns I would have would be to make absolutely sure that the Forest Service knows what we are planning, including maximum number of people, etc. and that they have no problem with it. I'd love to do this, but not if it has any significant risk of hurting our relationship with the Forest Service.

JSM, most would agree with you, and it will be discussed at the next Exec. Comm. meeting. There are many options. And, yes, a NARAM at this time at least is way out of the question. I feel that hosting two events simultaneously would be too much going on at the same time. One diluting the other. But that's just me, and not my decision. I'm up for whatever the majority feels we can accomplish successfully. And, that's the important thing. We don't want to take on too much that would result in a bad experience. The important thing now, I feel, is to decide to actually host a NAR event (I prefer the NSL as well), or drop it completely. We don't need to lead other clubs on that we "may" host one. That makes us appear indecisive and without focus.

Check the Contest area and look for the NAR Event in 2007 for updates on this thread.