Hybrid Rockets

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Experimental Rocketry

Amateur Hybrid Motors Amateur Liquid Rockets Guidance Gimballed Motors Launch Controller Static Test Stand Separating Strap-ons

Payloads

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Media

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Personal Rocketry

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Avionics

Altimeter/Accelerometers Altimeter Comparison Chart R-DAS Flight Computer R-DAS FAQ Compact R-DAS Guide R-DAS Classic Guide R-DAS Flights R-DAS GPS Module R-DAS On Screen Display R-DAS Variance G-Wiz Altimeter Avionics Avionics Tips Payload Bay Design Onboard Power Systems

Telemetry

Telemetry Receiver Antenna Pulse Circuit Pulsed Tone Circuit

Miscellaneous

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G-WIZ ALTIMETER

G-WIZ LC / LC DELUXE 3-CHANNEL PEAK ALTITUDE ALTIMETER / ACCELEROMETER

The G-Wiz LC and G-Wiz LC Deluxe are currently two small altimeter/accelerometers commercially available, capable of fitting in airframe diameters as small as 24mm.

The G-Wiz LC uses an accelerometer only, for inertial detection of apogee, and inertial logging of the peak altitude.

The G-Wiz LC Deluxe uses an accelerometer and a barometric pressure sensor, for inertial detection of apogee, and barometric logging of the peak altitude, and barometric detection of the altitude to fire the main parachute at, if used for 2-stage recovery (i.e. a drogue parachute at apogee, and a main parachute at low altitude).

The G-Wiz LC / LC Deluxe is very simple to use, literally plug the battery in and go, and can even have a second battery wired in just for ejection charge firing. The G-Wiz LC and G-Wiz LC Deluxe are peak altitude logging altimeters only, rather than recording data over the whole flight. They output the peak altitude in a series of flashes from an onboard LED.

E.g. if the altimeter/accelerometer was recovered after a flight, and an apogee altitude of 1345 feet was noted, the G-Wiz LC / LC Deluxe would display one flash, short pause, 3 flashes, short pause, 4 flashes, short pause, 5 flashes, long pause, then repeating the pattern.

Very simple, but very effective.

G-WIZ Pros

Very small.
Very easy to use.
The 3 output channels provides considerable flexibility.

G-WIZ Cons

Does not retain the peak altitude value after power is removed from the unit. Thus if the battery becomes detached following a very hard landing, or if the rocket is not found for a week or so, there is no way of knowing what altitude the rocket reached using the G-Wiz LC / LC Deluxe.
Because the G-Wiz LC is only fitted with an accelerometer for inertial altitude measurements, it will generally not be as accurate as a barometric pressure sensor measuring altitude (such as that on the G-Wiz LC Deluxe).

G-WIZ TIPS.

The G-Wiz LC and G-Wiz LC Deluxe can be run from a 12 volt lighter battery, if they are not being used to fire ejection charges (i.e. motor ejection is being used instead). This is useful when the G-Wiz LC or G-Wiz LC Deluxe is being used for logging the peak altitude of a flight only, and given the smaller diameter of a 12 volt lighter battery, it means the G-Wiz LC or G-Wiz LC Deluxe can be fitted in a smaller diameter airframe, thus reducing drag, and increasing the potential altitude the rocket could reach.