The Missile Works RRC² (Rocket Recovery Controller) was my introduction into electronic deployment. The cost of the unit and the programmability are what drew me to the product. That introduction, though, has been excitingly frustrating due to my own mistakes. However, the product is proving to be a success despite my influence.

The RRC² is 5.9" x 1.3" which allows it to fit into a 38mm tube. Some of its main features include:

• Two channels for flexibility. Use Channel 1 for apogee and then Channel 2 for a programmable ejection at 1000' / 800' / 500' / 300' or use both channels at apogee for redundancy
• Mach Flight Inhibitor to prevent false deployments due to the effects of flying at mach
• Status LED and Audible reports of testing and continuity
• Audible reports of peak altitude
• Built in testing modes to ensure operation
• Screw-down terminal connectors for the two channels and the on/off jumper
• Positive retention 9V battery holder

The instructions are insightful and fully illustrated. They give clear set-up, testing, and operation guidance as well as rocket configuration examples. They also provide formulas to establish your static port diameter and ejection charge requirements.

I did feel that they lacked in giving guidance in the building of an electronics bay, however, when I e-mailed Missile Works they sent me clear instructions. I would suggest appending their standard instruction set. I have included the steps for the benefit of those reading this review. The procedure and pictures are courtesy of Missile Works.

1. Use a coupler tube (I used 8") for the electronics bay and cut 2 birch dowels (about 3/8" dia) so they are .25" shorter than the overall coupler length.
2. Drill and mount a #6 threaded insert into one end of each dowel.
3. Epoxy the dowels inside the coupler section .125" from the end (180 deg apart).
4. Permanently epoxy one of the bulkheads to one end of the coupler, flush against the ends of the dowels (the ends without the brass inserts).
5. Place your coupler section (glued bulkhead end) into the upper body tube (main parachute) compartment to the coupler midpoint.
6. Drill your static port hole and fastener holes. Running the calc's for volume and port sizing, a 0.1" hole size (single) should be used. Use a recommended 3/64" port (smaller is better).
7. Drill (2) 1/16" holes for payload fastener screws. Note the alignment of the dowels before you drill holes. You'll be able to align the coupler by lining up the static port hole when you re-insert the payload bay. <picture>
8. Remove the coupler. Epoxy (2) 2-56 blind nuts into the coupler section into each 1/16" hole. This will hold the coupler captive to the upper body tube and will allow you to remove it to prep the electronics and deployment charges.
9. Drill holes in the loose bulkhead plate that align with the threaded inserts on the dowels. This bulkhead is the removable end, allowing access to the electronics and wiring.<picture>
10. Cut a small piece of 1/8" ply as a mounting back-plate for the altimeter. It should slide in underneath the dowels which hold it captive in the electronics bay. <picture>

I used this method and it worked perfectly!

FLIGHT/RECOVERY:

Attempt #1 - Viking 7 - My very first experience with electronics. I was very excited and got out to the pad and loaded it up and pushed the launch button. A puff of smoke, then a pause, then VROOM! off the pad on a G80-7. I had picked the G80-7 because my RockSim had this ejection at apogee. I had the RRC² unit set up for a main 'chute deployment at 300 feet and was relying on the G80-7 for the drogue deployment. Well, the flight was picture perfect, straight as an arrow. Beautiful all the way to apogee and the drogue deployed. We watched it fall and fall and fall and bam! Yep, I forgot to arm the electronics.

Attempt #2 - THOY Snipe - This time it was serious. I had endured the humility of not arming the RRC² at our NOVAAR launch. Now was the time to correct the situation. The RRC² was set up for both primary and secondary deployment. It was wired and beeping at launch. Up went the Snipe on 3-E18's. Just before apogee, the initial charge fired. The momentum of the ejection at the mid-section also popped the nose cone of the upper section thereby deploying the main chute. As I chased this across the field, at about 300 feet I heard the secondary channel discharge. Then this rocket drifted into a tree, 60 feet up, where it stayed for four attempts over a 5 week period. I did get it back though.

Attempt #3 - THOY Snipe - I really wanted to have a successful flight and felt good about another attempt in my (rebuilt) cluster rocket. Again I armed the unit and everything seemed ready. This time the main charge deployed perfectly at apogee. It fell on the drogue until at 300 feet the secondary charge blew the nose cone off. But guess who had moved the main chute to another rocket to use? Yep!

Attempt #4 - Viking 7 - I did everything right this time. Tested, loaded parachute, tested for continuity, prepped motor, armed and placed on pad. Just before launching I listened for 3 beeps of continuity check from the RRC². This time I was using a G80 that I had removed all the ejection BP from and set the RRC² up for both primary and secondary deployment.

Again, the Viking was excellent coming off the pad on the G80. It was angled more this time due to some wind. As it arced at apogee it then continued downward for about a second and then ejection. Well the drogue deployed, but I also recognized the entire upper section descending toward the ground absent of the rest of the rocket. The electronics bulkhead pulled right through the two mounting screws, jerking on the arming wire and damaging the electronics.

So, I haven't had a successful flight, however, the RRC² has performed as I have heard the charges. So no penalties are allowed when someone doesn't load a parachute or has a nose cone too loose. It has been a great learning experience.

I felt it was important to provide some feedback on the unit so I have asked EMRR guests to reply as well as a couple clips from RMR. I have added those comments below. Based on the fun I have had and the experiences below, FLIGHT/RECOVERY, is rated as 5 points.

Overall, with all the features, the price, the durability and the fun, I give the RRC² an OVERALL rating of 5 points.

UPDATE 11/01:
While I didn't seem to get it together in my above attempts, I did rate the RRC2 a "5" based on the fact that I felt all the failures were my own doings. Well, I did have a 100% successful flight of the RRC2 in my Descon Entry - Big Blue Dog. A successful flight to 1562 feet on (2) G80's. It was great and a good feeling to finally make the "process" work.

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"The RRC2 has many nice features, like audible status reporting, which is important when it is buried in the bowels of a rocket where it cannot be seen, and it quickly reaches flight READY after power on. The only thing I don't like about the RRC2 is the heavy (compared to the 12v battery used by Adept) 9v battery - make sure it won't fall out of the holder during boost or bad things will happen. The battery can get quite heavy under 10-20 Gs. Note that most electronic recovery controllers use one or more 9v batteries. The Adept and P5 are the exceptions." (D.R.) 

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"I'm new to rocketry as well, and it really is simple to use. It also had duel deployment which I used on my very first flight and it worked perfectly." (D.S.) 

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"I ordered, then used a RRC2 last month at Whitakers and it worked perfectly. Jim has rolled all the best features into this quality product." (E.) 

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"It's fairly simple, and works quite well. My personal preference would be to have a recording altimeter like the AltAcc, but for the money Jim Amos's stuff is very hard to beat. I've flown it numerous times (15?) and it successfully deployed each and every time. I use flashbulb based charges generally. The only thing I don't like is the On/Off jumper. I wish it were a switch in addition to the jumper for a little more flexibility. Some folks have reported battery problems with the 9-volt coming out of it's connector, but they must not have used the hold-down bracket to strengthen it. Mine's got past Mach and up to 7000 feet with no problems at all." (R.S.) 

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"Likes: A very nice, low priced, barometric chamber tested unit. The simple on-board diagnostics are a nice feature. Reliable and tough (within reason...). I like the multiple options for main deployment (apogee,1000',800',500',300'), and mach inhibit delay (0,4,8,12 seconds). This unit does what it advertises, and does it well .

" Dislikes: Could be smaller, although there are many larger units out there... It is designed to fit in a 38mm coupler.

"Flight experience: Flew a pre-production unit as a payload (without active deployment) at LDRS last summer at the Salt Flats to 15,500 feet. I should have used the RRC2's deployment, because the rocket was still going up at high velocity when ejection occurred. Everything survived. I have flown a production unit several times, and I don't fly high power rockets without it now. I use it in a couple of "mid-power" rockets that have room also. I have dropped it fairly hard and it survived fine (long story...). It flexed at least 1" in the middle (it hit the mounting plate) as did the 1/4" threaded rod and aluminum mounting plate. At LDRS this year I had a motor blow-by, and the unit did not fire the main charge - because the rocket did not reach 500 feet (the main deployment altitude I had chosen). The unit was beeping out 392 feet when we recovered the rocket. As you can see, I have put it through a few rough flights, and it has taken them all and worked perfectly. It has also had quite a few more "nominal" flights, and has also performed flawlessly each time. Several other local flyers also use the RRC2, and we haven't seen it fail. It is a great unit for general sport flying. I would prefer a recording unit for many uses, but they are more expensive, and require even more setup time (you could build a Milliway's altimeter kit and get around the price problem, and it all fits in a 29mm tube, but that is more work...) If your project exceeds the capabilities of the RRC2, then you should get something that can handle it (recording, remote control, accelerometer...), but if you need a reliable 2-stage deployment altimeter, this is it." (T.W.) 

ADDITIONAL INPUT:
"It is a stand alone barometric altimeter . It handles either 2 stage recovery or can be programed to fire a main charge while using the second channel for a back up . Uses standard 9 volt battery & comes with battery hold down hardware (No more hard to find batteries). Excellent users manual/instructions (11 pages) They walk you through everything you need to know in order to to use the altimeter correctly with no less than 13 illustrations (recovery design , building & selecting ejection charges, & how to mount it in your rocket). 4 different main deployment altitudes (via 5 position dip switch) and a user selectable mach time out function. Built in testing mode for inputs (makes sure all switches work) and outputs (tests ejection charges). On board terminal blocks for connection ejection charges . No more pesky wiring harness'. The price was very reasonable!!! ($90 dollars S&H US). My first altimeter (ALTS 2-50k) was more than that back in 1996, $99.

"Draw back: I would like it to have a apogee delay setting . Let's say you're doing a L3 and you don't want to kill your rocket with an over dose of Black powder . The setting would allow you to select maybe 2 or 4 sec delay after apogee.

I have flown my RRC2 three times with excellent results! First flight I used it as a back up to my regular altimeter (ALTS 25). I didn't get a reading because I thought it wasn't working properly. It turns out that it gives off a long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep in between each report cycle . I guess that's what you get when you don't fully read the directions. Any how second flight was @ NY Power in my Magnum Twin on a J 570 & 3 F62 Dark Stars. I had the main set to deploy @ 500 ft (which it did) Altitude: 2,828 ft . Very user friendly even for the beginner. I own several other altimeters and I was thoroughly impressed. I give it 2 thumbs UP!!!" (J.D.C.)