First Flight Version 1.0
Printed: 1/26/2008
•
Landing.
HCX has four independent high-current output ports. Each one can independently control a flight
event. This allows you create a flight plan with up to
four
separate flight operations. While the two
parachute pyro ports are single tasked for recovery deployment, the third pyro port can be used for
either sustainer ignition or for cluster ignition. The fourth pyro port is programmable in
FlightView, our flight computer program, for a myriad of possible events. You can program four
possible events into your flight plan including these options:
•
Apogee deployment.
•
Low altitude deployment.
•
Very high, below apogee deployment.
•
Air-start of a cluster of motors.
•
Mid-air ignition of sustainer motors.
•
Event activation based on data from a user-provided sensor.
In addition to the inputs from the accelerometer and barometer, the HCX can also record data from
the analog input port. This port can be used for:
•
Mechanical detection of launch using a break wire.
•
Data recording from a user-provided analog sensor.
The standard model, the HCX/50 unit, can accurately measure up to 56G of positive or negative
acceleration, while other models can accurately measure up to 224G.
The unique pyro port shunt plug in the HCX prevents the pyro ports from accidentally firing while
you are working on, or transporting, your rocket.
The on-board beeper starts to read out the peak altitude upon landing. It continues until after your
recover your rocket and you turn it off.
HCX keeps track of multiple flights by recording the accelerometer and barometric sensor data
into a file on a Mini-SD memory card.
Our FlightView software, which runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms, reads the
files from the Mini-SD card. This program analyzes your flight data, presents it in graphical
format, and allows you to save the data to your personal computer.
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