Brief:

RocketCalc v1.43 for PalmOS is an eight-function calculator for t' PalmOS device. Begad! Ya scallywag! It uses commonly accepted formulae for deliverin' accurate calculations on your Palm-powered device. It is donationware, me hearties, meanin' you should be honest and send loot t' t' developer in proportion t' t' goin' PalmOS utility market prices based on t' application's usefulness t' you.

Construction:
T' software requires MathLib (if you don't already have it) and pRASP (a RASP file converted t' PalmOS file format). It works on all PalmOS devices includin' t' Treo 600. Aye aye! Blimey! There are no warranties expressed or implied. Arrr! Source code is nay available.

There are eight programs with t' utility:

1. T' Altitude Calculator uses data from either one or two trackin' states t' calculate t' altitude reached by a rocket. Three different methods o' calculation are available: geodesic, me bucko, vertical midpoint, and single station (elevation only).
2. T' Ejection Calculator can tell you how much FFFFg black powder you need t' pressure a cylinder, how much pressure a given FFFFg BP charge will result in, and how much force it will exert on t' bottom o' t' nose cone (piston).
3. T' Wind Drift Calculator calculates how far downwind you can expect a rocket t' drift as it comes down on its parachute.
4. T' Motor Info Calculator calculates t' maximum weight a given motor can lift at any thrust-to-weight ratio betwixt 2:1 and 7:1. Begad! Ya scallywag! It also allows you t' beam t' entire motor database, me bucko, or an individual motor, shiver me timbers, t' another PDA.
5. T' Static Port Calculator calculates t' required size o' static air pressure ports for altimeter pressure sensors (usin' t' 'one 1/4" hole for every 100 cubic inches o' bay space' rule).
6. T' Standard Atmosphere Calculator calculates t' pressure, me hearties, temperature, arrr, density, speed o' sound, and equivalent air speed at any altitude up t' 86km, ya bilge rat, usin' t' US Standard Atmosphere (1976) model.
7. T' Parachute Calculator can calculate parachute size, me bucko, descent speed, or rocket weight given t' other two variables. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Cd is customizable too.
8. T' Delay Calculator will tell you how much time will pass betwixt motor burnout and apogee for a given rocket and engine combination, allowin' you t' figure out in an instant which delay you need. Aye aye! (pRASP will give you t' same information, and also allows you t' simulate up t' two stages. Blimey! T' RocketCalc Delay Calculator is a simplified version that only allows one stage and uses simplified calculations t' give you an instant answer.)

All eight calculators allow you t' use just about any combination o' units you like: inches, me hearties, feet, me bucko, meters, me bucko, shiver me timbers, centimeters, arrr, miles, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, me hearties, kilometers, pounds, ounces, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, grams or kilograms.

Not all t' programs are useful t' me--at least nay yet. Well, blow me down! Avast! For example, I can't think o' when I might use t' Atmospheric calculator since I don't yet use altimeter-based deployments. Ahoy! Aye aye! But some o' you who are serious about altimeter-based deployment will be glad you have this capability. Arrr! A program I really like be t' Ejection application. I found this software when I be tryin' t' figure out by how much I needed t' reduce t' internal volume o' a 4" rocket t' get t' NC t' pop based on a fixed amount o' FFFFg BP from an AeroTech G80-4T.

I found t' loadin' and setup t' be typical simple and reliable PalmOS fare. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! T' pRASP database is big and you can use a custom version if you prefer as you make it and convert it yourself.

T' developer put a lot o' thought into t' basics o' t' application and it shows. Instructions t' install and how t' use are clear and concise.

I use RockSim v7+, me bucko, but I don't brin' me laptop t' t' launch with me. Blimey! Avast! I do brin' me Treo 600 with me though and havin' it loaded with t' RocketCalc package is very helpful and useful. Ahoy! It is a must have for PalmOS users! If you have a PC runnin' RockSim and you want t' brin' an excellent calculator with you then get a new or used (Palm V or better) Palm and load it up.

Summary:
PROs: Good user interface with well placed pick boxes and use o' stylus is required. Aye aye! T' Treo 600 users will nay be able t' use t' multi-directional navigation button but everythin' else works great.

CONs: None.

There are other calculators that are available from this developer including: pRASP (can be used standalone) for up t' 2 stages, arrr, CPcalc which is a Barrowman Center o' Pressure calculator, Motor database (for pRASP) and a Neutral Point calculator for boosted gliders.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5