Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Back In The Day, Part 11 - A Tracking Scope Revelation

Last night I happened to be perusing through my collection of Model Rocketry Magazine issues, looking for some rocket plans I had recalled seeing.
I happened upon the October 1969 issue which contained the results write-up about NARAM-11 held at the U.S. Air Force Academy in August of that same year.  It diverted my attention away from the plans search for awhile.
The article described some difficulties surrounding the tracking scopes used on the first day of competition, citing that the scopes were magnified 6x with a 90 degree elbow in the optics path.  Folks manning these scopes found them very difficult to use in following models in flight, and, as a result, no tracks closed.
These scopes had been provided by the Colorado Springs Peak City Section, who were co-hosting the NARAM, with Bill Roe serving as the CD of the contest.  Luckily, the article went on to say, the next day's tracking events were saved by the Annapolis section, who had brought along their through-sight tracking scopes, which were much easier to use.
Fast forward to 1973.
Shortly after my rocket buddy, Marc K., and I had joined a newly formed local Colorado Springs rocket club - Skywatchers / ROMAR NAR section, we were paid a visit by Mr. Roe himself. 
Bill generously donated to our fledgling club all of the model rocket range equipment that had belonged to the former Peak City Section.  This included multi-pad launch racks, P.A. system, communications system, and....a pair of tracking theodolites.
Subsequently, at one of our sport launches, the scopes were brought out, set up, and made available to anyone who wished to learn and practice the fine art of tracking model rockets.  Of course, I was eager to try my eye at it.
I seem to remember that the scope I attempted to use was magnified...and it did have a 90 degree elbow in the optics.  And it was impossible to keep even the largest and slowest of model rockets in the field of view!
I am fully convinced that these are the exact same scopes that were used on that first day of flying at NARAM four years earlier.
If so, I can fully understand the frustration of the trackers, contestants, and meet officials as they experienced such a dismal rate of track closures.
Sometime in the late 1970's, the size of the Skywatchers/Romar club diminished to only four or five regular members, so we started flying from a single launch pad that was equipped with a 1/8"rod, a 3/16" rod and an adjustable tower.  Others would bring their own personal launch pads.  The old multi-pad racks were still brought out and used at public demo launches on occasion.
The rest of the Peak City equipment went into storage in someone's garage, and I never saw those tracking theodolites again.
It would be interesting to know whatever became of those historic beasties.....

3 comments:

  1. Every time I read your blog I wish even more that I had joined the NAR in my youth - had I done so I would have known about the rocket club on the other side of town. Not only would I have a nice low number but I would have no doubt met you and a lot of others as well. $7 was a lot of cabbage for a 14-year-old!

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  2. Hi, Tim,
    Are you an NAR member now? Also, are you still in Colorado Springs?

    I'm surprised you were unaware of our club back in the day. You would have been a most welcome member! We put out flyers in all the Springs hobby shops, (I think you mentioned Levine's in a previous post.), plus we conducted a lot of well publicized demo launches, the most visible one being held annually at the Ru-Jan party and hobby shop in Rustic Hills North parking lot.

    As for now, I don't have any intention on re-joining the NAR ($65 a year for Senior - Wow! I just don't have that much of a hobby budget right now), nor do I have any interest in joining an existing local club - CRASH in Denver, or COSROCs in the Springs. Clubs and NAR involvement would take too much of a time commitment, which I just can't swing right now. I'm perfectly content to do my 'lone wolf' rocket flying in Castle Rock, and write a rocketry blog.
    I am seriously considering swinging down to NARAM 60 in Pueblo this August, mainly to attend the opening night NAR re-union being planned.
    Thanks for checking out the blog.
    Keep in touch!
    -Ed

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  3. Yeah, spent a lot of time & cash at Levine's downtown so I guess I have no excuses. I'm in Kansas City now but most of my family still lives in the 'Springs (my older sister lives out East.)

    I'm looking forward to NARAM 60! Hope to meet you there. I'm a NAR member now and have been for a while; I was a lone ranger myself for a long time and find that being a club member can be most rewarding. I'm not really a BAR but I'm more active when I'm a member of a club. I certainly understand about time and commitment and all though!

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