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

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

Ray Dunakin's Camera "capsule"

In scroungin' around me house for t' materials t' build the pod, matey, I decided that for me 1st attempt I would nay use t' mirror for downward boost shots, matey, but instead have t' camera lookin' straight out upon boost and face down upon descent. Begad! 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, me hearties, a coupler t' size o' t' booster, some foam, and surplus 3.9" BT . Begad! I used 5min. epoxy for me glue joints with CA here and there. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! 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. You want to have a snug fit t' keep t' camera from shifting, shiver me timbers, 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, servo, batteries, matey, and any circuits you choose will fit. Ya scallywag! See diagram below. It goes together supprisingly fast. Well, blow me down! 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. 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. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' coupler was attached usin' a piece o' allthread t' facilitate me altimeter. Avast, me proud beauty! 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! You will have t' take the servo apart and remove t' "stops" which prevent this. Well, blow me down! NOTE: While you're in there, shiver me timbers, if you choose t' simpler method o' powerin' t' servo, remove circuit board and solder black and red wires directly t' t' motor. Arrr! 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. Begad! Blimey! Make sure that you can easily install and remove t' camera before you glue it in (see diagram). Ya scallywag! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! You will also need t' make a sturdy base for the servo. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I traced a line around t' servo and cut out t' hole that will support the base o' t' servo. 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. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Cut a piece o' hardwood block or laminate 2 pieces o' plywood t' make t' block or t' cam fulcrum t' be screwed into. Begad! Blimey! I used basic radio control items for t' fulcrum and lever. Arrr! Blimey! 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. Aye aye! Blimey! I used a 4-40 threaded screw eye to connect t' cam setup t' t' lever. Blimey! Blimey! Use a 4-40 nut on t' allthread t' retain the screw eye.

Dependin' on your setup, matey, 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. Ahoy! Ahoy! On future pods I will use some strips o' plywood or hardwood blocks around t' perimeter t' facilitate small screws. Well, blow me down! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! 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, me proud beauty! It used potentiometers which enabled me t' adjust t' rotation o' t' servo. Begad! Avast! It worked well, arrr, ya bilge rat, but when trying to add a timer t' it t' delay t' activation till apogee, shiver me timbers, me hearties, I must have fried the electronics in t' servo, matey, because it no longer would receive t' pulses from the circuit. Begad! So, arrr, in another email t' Ray, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, 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 bucko, fiddlin' and 10+ email exchanges with Doug Sams, me hearties, tryin' t' get my fancy circuit t' work right. Well, t' second outin' used t' 2 "AA" batteries and everythin' worked fine. Ahoy! It gives t' servo very close t' 1 rotation per second, ya bilge rat, matey, which is what I was lookin' for. Aye aye! YMMV. Use whatever method of servo operation your abilities allow. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' start t' servo, shiver me timbers, you can either flip a switch prior t' launch, or make a switch that is actuated at liftoff. Don't be afraid t' ask for help. Blimey! I met some very nice rocket folk in my journey, 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. Begad! Weigand's avast farm near Baldwinsville, me bucko, NY

Camera payload boosts on an Aerotech G64!

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

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

Thanks for checkin' it out. Ya scallywag! I welcome any comments, ya bilge rat, me hearties, suggestions, and questions you may have.

Ned Nassif

nnassif@twcny.rr.com

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