LYONS, Colorado USA — Nine years ago, Missile Works Corporation set the hobby rocketry electronics market on its ear when it released the RRC², the lowest cost two-stage barometric altimeter available at that time. Fast forwarding, Missile Works redefines the altimeter market once again.

Jim Amos, owner of Missile Works Corporation, is introducing his lastest product: the all new RRC²-Mini. The RRC²-Mini is a small footprint altimeter based on the company's RRC² technology and shrunken into an impressive 1" by 3.15" form factor, small enough to fit within a 29mm airframe tube.

Using the latest surface-mounted device technology combined with a silicon resin conformal coating that prevents the sensitive electronics from being exposed to corrosive residue and gases produced by recovery ejection charges, the RRC²-Mini is individually calibrated using Missile Work's new "Heise" absolute pressure standard to operate up to 40,000 feet above mean sea level, attaining pressure resolution to within .001 pounds per square inch.

Another feature is the use of interactive menu programming and operation by way of push-button pads and LEDs, eliminating the need to use on-board DIP switches. Combined with a plethora of "user setpoints," the end user can control virtually all aspects of the device's performance, including: main deployment altitude (from 300' to 3000' AGL in 100' increments), mach delay inhibit (from 0 to 30 seconds in 1 second increments), drogue delay (from 0 to 15 seconds in 1 second increments), main delay (from 0 to 15 seconds in 1 second increments), deployment mode (for standard dual event deployment, apogee event only or main event only), and operations mode. Groupings of setpoints are able to be stored into two setpoint "profiles" to allow for different flight regimes.

Just like the original RRC² astonished the hobby marketplace with its arrival, the RRC²-Mini is on target to accomplish the same thing, bringing you all of these features for a retail price of just $79.95! Missile Works is in the process of totally redesigning their web site to showcase this new product and should be available soon.

Physical and Operational Features:

New RRC2-Mini altimeter.

• Small "Mini" footprint (just 1" wide x 3.15" long)... 29mm capable
• Virtually all SMD construction with silicon resin conformal coating to prevent corrosive BP residue damage
• Sea Level to 40,000 MSL Operational capability
• Individually chamber caibrated using our new "Heise" absolute pressure standard (0.001 PSI resolution)
• Full HIL (Hardware In the Loop) calibration to null out operational tolerances
• Dedicated "large screw" compression terminals with dedicated power switch connections
• Easy "2 hole" mounting with 4-40 hardware

Functional Features:

• Interactive menu programming and operation via pushbuttons and LED's... NO DIP SWITCHES
• All User setpoints are stored in non-volatile EEPROM
• 2 complete setpoint "profiles" are available by the flip of a switch for programming or flight ops
• All flight data is stored in non-volatile EEPROM for post-flight recall, even across power cycles
• Complete on-board diagnostic capability

User Setpoints:

• Main AGL - adjustable from 300' to 3000' AGL in 100' increments
• Mach Inhibit - adjustable from 0 to 30 seconds in 1 second increments
• Drogue Delay - adjustable from 0 to 15 seconds in 1 second increments
• Main Delay - adjustable from 0 to 15 seconds in 1 second increments
• Deployment Mode - adjustable for standard dual deploy / apogee only / main only
• Operations Mode - enable/disable low-freq chirping, power-up battery/setpoint chirp, and LV lockout
• 2 complete "profiles" of setpoints are available... setup each profile for different flight regime

Post Flight "Log" Data:

• Peak AGL elevation (feet)
• Peak Velocity (feet per second)
• Time to Apogee (in seconds)
• "Launch" counter (cumulative total flight count)

Diagnostic Features:

• Battery voltage on demand (volts and 1/10th volts)
• Current MSL elevation (in feet)
• Continuity Input Test mode
• MosFET Output Test mode

Attachments: Missile Works RRC²-Mini Beta User Manual (1,025KB PDF Document)

Website: http://www.missileworks.com/

08-29-2007 05:04 PM  #1
Steve_Shannon When in doubt, ask Keenan   Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 1819	I have used a few different altimeters and timers, from G-Wiz, Perfectflite, Olsen Electronics, and a PML timer that was built for them by G-Wiz. Still, when I need something I can just turn on and use, I end up going back to my old RRC2. It is simple, unadorned with features, and absolutely reliable. I have never had one fail for any reason. I forgot to turn one on once, but that can not be construed as a failure of the altimeter in any way. This looks like the logical evolution of that. I am eager to fly one.