Brief:
T' BigRedBee (BRB) BeeLine Transmitter is a radio beacon rocket locator device. Arrr! It can fit in tubin' as small as BT-50 (24mm), can transmit on a user adjustable frequency in t' 420MHz-450MHz range, and weighs less than 1oz with the BRB rechargeable battery. [NOTE: You must be a licensed amateur radio operator t' purchase and use this device. Aye aye! Arrr! A handheld transceiver/receiver capable o' receivin' signals in t' 70cm band (420-450MHz).]

There is a GPS-enabled version o' t' BeeLine that is available, however, arrr, it requires special hardware t' decode t' locational information. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This review only covers t' standard non-GPS-enabled transmitter.

Construction:
I ordered t' BigRedBee BeeLine Package Deal, which consists o' the transmitter, arrr, rechargeable battery, serial programmin' interface, and battery charger. I paid by loot order and received t' package in one week's time. Ya scallywag! I was amazed as both me payment and t' transmitter had t' travel nearly coast-to-coast across t' continental US!

When I opened t' box, everythin' be well wrapped in t' small box and all electronic components were in anti-static bags. Avast! Blimey! And just like mentioned on the website, t' transmitter and battery were shrink wrapped together. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Blimey! The connector that joins them arrived disconnected and can be reconnected/disconnected by t' user without removin' t' shrink wrap.

I downloaded t' BeeLine Communicator application from t' BigRedBee website, plugged t' battery and serial interface into t' transmitter, arrr, and launched t' application. Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Clickin' t' Read button has it read the transmitter's settings and display them. Aye aye! Blimey! I made sure that me call sign was correct and changed t' frequency from t' default setting. Begad! Once happy with changes, you click t' Write button and remove t' BeeLine from your serial port.

T' last thin' is t' mount t' BeeLine in a rocket. Ya scallywag! Arrr! Much like an altimeter or timer, you can mount t' BeeLine in an electronics bay or use one o' the methods mentioned on t' BRB website.

However, me hearties, I am gettin' a little ahead o' myself... Avast, me proud beauty! Before I could even purchase t' BeeLine, arrr, I had t' get me amateur radio technician's license. I know that this has turned off a lot o' people t' gettin' a radio locator for their rockets but typically those folks are uneducated about t' process of gettin' their amateur radio technician's license. Aye aye! Aye aye! It is really quite easy and inexpensive t' get!

First let me assure everyone o' this: There is NO MORSE CODE REQUIREMENT for t' FCC Amateur Technician exam! I spent $20 on The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, which I spent an hour or so a day for a couple o' weeks studying. Aye aye! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Much like t' NAR/TRA Level 2 certification tests, the ARRL Manual has t' exact questions/answers in t' back o' t' book that you will see on your test. Well, blow me down! I also took free sample tests online at HamTestOnline. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' last step be to locate a local ARRL testin' location, which I be able t' do on the ARRL website and take t' exam. T' cost for takin' t' 35 question multiple choice exam is $14. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Once your test is graded and you are told that you passed (right thar on t' spot), you can expect that the FCC publishes your call sign on t' FCC website within two weeks. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! You will receive a packet in t' mail with a license t' display and a copy t' keep in your wallet. Ahoy! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' license is good for 10 years and can be renewed for free. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Once you have your call sign, shiver me timbers, you can then place your order for your BeeLine.

BigRedBee does nay sell receivers with their transmitters. Blimey! This is because there are many capable receivers you can purchase. Ahoy! Ultimately, arrr, any receiver, transceiver, ya bilge rat, me bucko, and/or scanner that is capable o' receivin' signals in the 420-450MHz is all you need. Blimey! I purchased a handheld Uniden Bearcat NASCAR scanner on eBay for $80. Ya scallywag! I also built a highly directional Yagi antenna for less than $20 worth o' parts from Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Radio Shack.

I know that thar are some diehard Walston Retriever and RocketHunter fans out there--as neither o' those systems require any license for purchase or use--but t' BeeLine transmitter, a scanner, me hearties, a Yagi, t' study guide, and exam fee can all be done for under $200 (at least half o' t' cost o' t' other systems) while providin' every bit o' functionality that Walston and RH provide.

Lastly, I almost forgot t' tout t' BeeLine's feature o' user selectable frequency configuration. It is customizable t' any frequency in t' 420-450MHz range usin' t' BeeLine Communicator application. That means you could use multiple transmitters and track them individually without any interference or false detection issues.

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
There are several different ways t' mount t' BeeLine in rockets. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! T' easiest and most likely way t' prevent damage t' t' transmitter is by mountin' it inside t' nose cone. Ahoy! Avast! I used it that way in rockets where I could, however, I would have t' tape it directly t' t' TN shock cord in me Giant Leap Thunderbolt38, shiver me timbers, which does nay come with a payload bay and t' shock cord is tied directly t' t' nose cone.

For its first flight, I simply used some packin' foam t' protect the BeeLine from bein' jostled durin' flight in t' payload bay o' me LOC Weasel. Arrr! I loaded t' Weasel with an AeroTech G104T-M and set it on t' pad. Ya scallywag! As t' LCO gave t' countdown, I readied me scanner and antenna t' track it durin' flight. This motor gets t' Weasel off t' pad smartly but keeps t' rocket in sight throughout t' flight. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! Our launch was plagued by steady 10-15mph winds so I felt that thar would be a good chance that I'd have t' chase t' rocket down because if it had been a calm day, t' rocket probably would have come right back t' t' pad as if it knew that it had a trackin' device in it!

However, arrr, matey, I never lost t' signal while t' antenna was pointed in t' direction of t' rocket while it was in t' air. Aye aye! Well, me hearties, blow me down! (Just t' be sure, ya bilge rat, I would point the antenna away t' test t' directional capabilities. Ya scallywag! T' signal would vanish when I did that.) I had several other folks who were eager t' see what me tracking experience was goin' t' be like and helped visually track t' rocket just in case I ran into problems.

Recovery:
T' chute came out right at apogee and t' rocket swiftly began t' drift on the way down. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' problem with t' winds this day were that they were headed right into t' direction o' t' manmade canal, ya bilge rat, which lacks any bridge t' cross it, that runs t' entire length o' t' west side o' our launch field. Ahoy! My Weasel already has a history with t' canal as it landed on its previous flight in the water (although I was able t' retrieve t' rocket without havin' t' go into the water).

The BeeLine gave me a strong signal well after landin' as I headed out t' retrieve the rocket so I felt that t' rocket had probably landed just short (or just on the other side) o' t' canal. Well, blow me down! But no...it landed smack dab in t' middle o' the water! I guess I deserve a little credit for buildin' a (partially) water tolerant rocket. One o' me fellow club members had thought ahead (based on the weather forecast that morning) and had brought along an inflatable raft. I returned t' t' flightline and employed t' services o' his raft. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Even while inflatin' and transportin' t' raft t' t' canal, I never lost t' signal comin' from t' rocket. We managed t' retrieve t' rocket and I pulled out the BeeLine, which had suffered no damage, me hearties, matey, when t' rocket and I were back on dry land.

T' only negative part o' me experience was that once I be within about 50 yards o' t' rocket, I received a steady signal regardless o' direction I pointed t' antenna. Since that be me first time usin' t' BeeLine in its intended use and only me second time playin' with it at all (I'd spent maybe 15 minutes messin' around with it in me yard at home a couple days earlier), arrr, I'll attribute that issue t' me inexperience. A strength meter and/or attenuator would help increase t' locational accuracy o' usin' t' BeeLine. That the BeeLine puts out such a strong signal should nay be construed as a negative feature o' t' product! Blimey! I just need t' become more comfortable with usin' my scanner and antenna. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Also, usin' an audio locator like my Rocket Beeper, me bucko, which I normally use in me rockets, me bucko, would be helpful for those last couple hundred feet for precise rocket location.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
T' BigRedBee BeeLine transmitter is everythin' it is advertised t' be. Compared t' other systems, it is extremely affordable, offers great flexibility in it use, arrr, requires easily accessible radio equipment, and is simple to configure due t' its well thought out design. Blimey! Well, arrr, assumin' you have an amateur radio license, arrr, ya bilge rat, arrr, which I've already told you isn't really that big a deal to get!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5