I have my Vindicator Jr all prep'ed - dual deploy, using a Perfectflight HiAlt altimeter with a 2 ft parachute at apogee and 3 ft at 400 ft. It has a Featherweight magnetic switch, motor ejection backup for the drogue and will launch with an Aerotech I357T motor. I was supposed to launch it this past Saturday at Berwick, but forgot to bring the magnet! Which in the end was OK, since I probably would not have launched it anyway. The winds were strong at times, blowing west to east and I got lucky twice. Once when my rocket landed about 20 ft before the trees at the far east end of the sod field and the other when another landed in tall grass also at the east end, and I found it surprisingly quickly. I would not have pushed my luck for a third time.
So, the question is, do I launch it this Saturday at Woodsom farm on the I357 or un-prep it for the winter. I've launched the Vindicator Jr. twice so far, both times on an Aerotech H142R. RockSim predicts 1300 ft for the H142 and both times it hit 1100 ft. RockSim predicts 2500 ft for the I357. If it behaves similarly, a reasonable altitude would be 2100 ft. Is that too high for Woodsom? As of this morning, there are light winds (5 mph) predicted from the west. I could go drogueless, which would help. But I still consider myself a novice at dual deploy and don't know if I trust myself enough to go drogueless. Although the last three times I have flown dual deploy, everthing worked fine. I only have one motor casing, so it is the I357 or I wait.
Thanks.
Claude
