Booster Vision Mini GearCam

Booster Vision - Mini GearCam {Component}

Contributed by Joe Policy

Manufacturer: Booster Vision
(Contributed - by Joe Policy - 05/10/05) BoosterVision Mini Gearcam Combo

Brief:
T' BoosterVision Mini Gearcam Combo with 14db Antenna is a great way t' get started in video rocketry. Avast, me proud beauty! I purchased mine with a LOC/Precision Weasel which is a great carrier for t' camera. Begad! This combo is FCC labeled so you do nay need a license t' operate it and transmits at 2.4ghz.

Construction:
T' kit includes:

  • 1 LOC/Precision Weasel kit
  • 1 4 channel receiver with rubber duck antenna
  • 1 CMOS pinhole camera with 9V battery adapter
  • 1 Audio/Video connector with RCA jacks
  • 2 transformers
  • 1 14db booster antenna
  • 1 set camera/receiver instructions
  • 1 set instructions for mountin' t' camera

I must give Art Upton at BoosterVision high marks. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I always received immediately responses t' me emails and once I be ready t' place t' order, me bucko, he had it in t' mail very quickly.

There are two recommended rockets for t' Mini Gearcam Combo: the LOC/Precision Weasel and t' Semroc Goliath. Avast, me proud beauty! I chose t' go with t' Weasel since I already have a Goliath. Ya scallywag! O' course, t' camera will work in just about any payload bay since t' camera is mounted externally.

I did nay realize that BoosterVision would provide such clear instructions for mountin' t' camera, me bucko, so I asked Art if he would do t' install for me. He agreed for a very small fee and I must say that he did a great job.

BoosterVision Mini Gearcam Combo T' kit arrived with t' payload section o' t' Weasel already constructed. Aye aye! The rest o' t' rocket kit was up t' me. Avast, me proud beauty! BoosterVision uses a nose cone as the shroud for t' camera, this works very well and helps keep t' rocket aerodynamic. Begad! T' camera itself was mounted in t' bottom o' t' shroud with double stick tape so it will be easy t' move t' camera t' a new rocket if I so desire. I did a test connection o' t' equipment and everythin' worked perfectly. T' camera did come with a focusin' wrench, me hearties, but me camera was already set t' go.

I assumed from t' BoosterVision website that t' antenna came already mounted. Aye aye! Avast! That was nay t' case. Avast, me proud beauty! It is mentioned on t' main page o' the BoosterVision website that if you purchase t' antenna separately t' customer has t' mount t' antenna, ya bilge rat, me hearties, arrr, but t' Mini Gearcam page shows a photo o' a mounted antenna. Ahoy! Ultimately, shiver me timbers, this was nay a problem for me and I was able t' build a mount for me antenna. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' website claims you will be able t' receive signals up to 5600 feet away with this antenna, shiver me timbers, however I will nay be launchin' anything quite that high so I will take their word on that.

I did nay bother paintin' t' Weasel for t' first two flights--I just wanted some video! T' camera and battery adds about 3 ounces t' t' rocket, which is pretty light. Aye aye! Avast! I connected t' receiver t' a Digital 8 Video Walkman and found t' camera transmittin' on channel 4. I readied t' booster antenna and pressed t' launch button. Aye aye! Avast! T' first flight was on a F24-7 for a nice straight boost t' about 700 feet. Aye aye! I kept t' antenna pointed at t' rocket the whole time so I could nay see how t' video was comin' along. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! I am happy t' say that it actually came out perfect from take off t' landing!

Second flight be on a G104T-M. Begad! Ahoy! I definitely got some altitude this time. Altimeter registered 1734 feet and even with t' extra distance, I still had perfect video for t' entire flight.

Summary:
Kudos t' BoosterVision for providin' a very complete, shiver me timbers, well thought out product. Just when you thought you would have t' wait for t' Estes Oracle t' come out in t' fall, wait no more because you can easily do great quality video with the Mini Gearcam Combo. Begad!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

Comments:

avatar
L.B. (June 12, 2005)
I also have purchased a Booster Vision and it is great. I put camera in a pod and screwed it on the side of a LOC Warlock and a LOC EZI-65. Great video. Can not wait till next launch to get more video. I would recommend everybody to buy this product.

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