Havin' always wanted t' add functionality t' me rockets, I decided that addin' a camera would be a great start. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, matey, blow me down! I scoured t' internet via Rocketry Online, me hearties, as well as directin' my browser t' any camera link mentioned in RMR. Ahoy! It seemed a lot o' rocketeers had used t' circuit on Rob Nee's AYUCR page. Arrr! It seemed simple enough, me hearties, shiver me timbers, so I be off to t' races. Avast! Begad! I had a Minolta Freedom 50 camera that me wife had discarded and replaced because she was havin' problems with it. Aye aye! It needed minor attention and soon found itself on t' operatin' table. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! What I had failed t' realize be that this camera had a mechanical shutter button. Arrr! Blimey! DOH! I had already started the circuit and was havin' problems gettin' it t' work right. Begad! (note: Rob be very helpful via several email exchanges) In me searchin' for another way t' operate the camera, matey, I stumbled upon a servo testin' circuit that seemed t' be what I was after. So it was back t' t' electronics store for more components. Avast! Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I be goin' t' use a servo t' somehow press t' shutter button on me camera......

Then a couple o' months ago, Ray Dunakin posted t' the ROL forums that he had just posted some new pictures t' his website. Well, blow me down! After seein' some o' t' best inflight pictures I have ever seen, arrr, me hearties, I fired off an email t' him t' find out how he operated his camera. He replied in short time with a nice description and a picture o' his "capsule". Avast! Begad! In his note he mentioned that he used a servo and cam t' drive his camera. Avast! From t' picture that he sent me, shiver me timbers, t' setup seemed pretty straight forward.

Ray Dunakin's Camera "capsule"

In scroungin' around me house for t' materials t' build the pod, ya bilge rat, me hearties, I decided that for me 1st attempt I would nay use t' mirror for downward boost shots, but instead have t' camera lookin' straight out upon boost and face down upon descent. Arrr! This was due t' t' fact that I had a little over a week till our next club launch and I wanted it t' be functional by then.

CONSTRUCTION

T' capsule is made o' foam core board, plywood, a coupler t' size o' t' booster, some foam, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, and surplus 3.9" BT . Well, blow me down! Blimey! I used 5min. epoxy for me glue joints with CA here and there. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I also opted to glass t' entire pod.

T' first step is t' measure your camera dimensions and make sure that you calculate for t' side pieces. Avast! Begad! You want to have a snug fit t' keep t' camera from shifting, me bucko, yet leave a little room on the right side for t' lever you will make for t' shutter (approx 1/4-1/2"). What you are doin' is makin' a boxed rectangle into which your camera, shiver me timbers, servo, batteries, and any circuits you choose will fit. Arrr! See diagram below. It goes together supprisingly fast. Ahoy! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! For t' top o' the pod, cut a piece (semicircle) o' body tube o' t' appropriate depth and glue to the back and sides at t' top o' t' camera compartment. Aye aye! Cut out an area o' the front piece t' allow for t' lens and light meter t' be fully exposed.

I glued a 1" piece o' BT t' t' bottom section, then used 3/4" foam t' form me transition. T' coupler was attached usin' a piece o' allthread t' facilitate me altimeter. Blimey! You can skip that and glue t' coupler inside t' 1" BT if you want.

SERVO INSTALLATION

What you are tryin' t' accomplish is t' have t' servo arm rotate 360 degrees continually. Begad! Blimey! You will have t' take the servo apart and remove t' "stops" which prevent this. NOTE: While you're in there, if you choose t' simpler method o' powerin' t' servo, remove circuit board and solder black and red wires directly t' t' motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! Run these wires out o' t' servo case when you put it back together.

With your camera in position in the pod, glue a piece o' plywood that will run from side t' side just in front of the camera. Make sure that you can easily install and remove t' camera before you glue it in (see diagram). Blimey! Blimey! You will also need t' make a sturdy base for the servo. Begad! I traced a line around t' servo and cut out t' hole that will support the base o' t' servo. Ya scallywag! Begad! I also glued 2 vertical braces that extend t' t' top of the servo. You can screw a piece o' wood t' t' top o' t' 2 supports or use velcro t' secure t' servo in place. Ahoy! Cut a piece o' hardwood block or laminate 2 pieces o' plywood t' make t' block or t' cam fulcrum t' be screwed into. Ahoy! Ahoy! I used basic radio control items for t' fulcrum and lever. Avast, me proud beauty! T' lever that connects t' cam t' t' fulcrum is 4-40 allthread that is used for push rods. Both t' fulcrum and connecter t' t' servo arm are plastic swivel ball links with brass inserts and threaded ends. Ya scallywag! I used a 4-40 threaded screw eye to connect t' cam setup t' t' lever. Use a 4-40 nut on t' allthread t' retain the screw eye.

Dependin' on your setup, ya bilge rat, you may have t' build up t' area where t' lever makes contact with t' shutter button.

FLIGHT PREPARATION

I secured t' front piece t' the unit with electrical tape. Avast! On future pods I will use some strips o' plywood or hardwood blocks around t' perimeter t' facilitate small screws. Ahoy! I used foam paddin' in t' pod and where t' front makes contact with t' camera t' make things secure.

On me first flight, t' servo was driven by t' circuit that I mentioned earlier. Avast! It used potentiometers which enabled me t' adjust t' rotation o' t' servo. Well, blow me down! It worked well, me bucko, but when trying to add a timer t' it t' delay t' activation till apogee, I must have fried the electronics in t' servo, ya bilge rat, because it no longer would receive t' pulses from the circuit. So, matey, in another email t' Ray, I asked him how he drove his servo. He said he used 2 "AA" batteries wired directly t' t' servo motor. When I read this, I laughed almost convulsively at all o' t' hours o' head scratching, me hearties, fiddlin' and 10+ email exchanges with Doug Sams, matey, shiver me timbers, me bucko, tryin' t' get my fancy circuit t' work right. Well, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, t' second outin' used t' 2 "AA" batteries and everythin' worked fine. Ya scallywag! It gives t' servo very close t' 1 rotation per second, which is what I be lookin' for. YMMV. Blimey! Begad! Use whatever method of servo operation your abilities allow. Ahoy! Begad! T' start t' servo, you can either flip a switch prior t' launch, matey, or make a switch that is actuated at liftoff. Don't be afraid t' ask for help. Avast, me proud beauty! I met some very nice rocket folk in my journey, me bucko, matey, who were very willin' t' help me out.

PARTS LIST

* You may have some o' this stuff lying around or use substitutes

INTO ACTION

T' followin' were taken on 8-5-00 at Mr. Aye aye! Weigand's avast farm near Baldwinsville, arrr, NY

Camera payload boosts on an Aerotech G64!

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T' followin' were taken on 9-9-00 in Geneseo, NY. Ahoy! Avast! Boost provided by an Aerotech H123

T' quality is at best fair-good. Well, blow me down! I plan on doin' a couple o' things in t' future t' achieve better results. Ahoy! Begad! One is t' use a Rocketman or X-form chute for more stable descent, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, and also get a better camera. Well, blow me down! I've heard great things about t' Olympus Stylus. Arrr! When finances permit, I think I'll try one.

Thanks for checkin' it out. I welcome any comments, suggestions, and questions you may have.

Ned Nassif

nnassif@twcny.rr.com

special thanks t' Ray Dunakin, Doug Sams, John DeMar, arrr, me hearties, Rich Pitzeruse and Tom Biasi!