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Pratt Hobbies new GO Box launch controller |
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2000 Archived News by Pratt Hobbies
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Sunday, November 26, 2000 |
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HERNDON, Virginia USA — A long day at the rocket range can flatten AA cells and leave you standing on the launch button in frustration. Mid-power rockets and clusters require lots of voltage to fire reliably. A 12 volt system is the way to go.
The SureFire 12 system packs its own built-in 12v battery, right next to the launch pad. But why pay for a battery when you drove to the field with one... and charged it while you were driving?
Pratt decided to come up with a simple, durable and safe system that would use that nice big battery in your car. The GO Box starts with a 10-foot long cable that plugs into a standard (center positive) car cigar lighter. Pratt used the same continuity-sensing circuitry used in the SureFire system. A nice loud buzzer in the controller serves as proof that you have a complete circuit through the igniter. It also acts as a warning that launch is imminent.
Instead of a safety key or switch, Pratt decided to completely separate the wires that run to the pad from the controller. This has several advantages. It's foolproof; there is no way current can get to the igniter if the wire isn't plugged in. It's simple; there are no keys to keep track of. If you want a longer wire than the supplied 25 feet, that's easily done. And it's economical!
The GO Box retails for $24.95, and comes with illustrated instructions showing how to connect it to every common igniter, including Aerotech Copperheads, Estes Solar igniters and Quest Tiger Tails. All you have to supply is the car.
See it at http://www.pratthobbies.com/.
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