quickandeasyaltitudechamberforaltimetercheckout（6页）.docVIP

Quick and Easy Altitude Chamber By Chuck Pierce As barometric altimeters continue to become standard equipment in high-flying rockets, good methods are needed to ensure that altimeters are functioning correctly. Most altimeters have test modes that fire each of the channels independently. These test modes only verify that the two channels are functioning, but give no insight into the health of the barometric circuit. To test my altimeters (Perfect Flite MAWD and Missile Works RRC2), I developed a quick and easy altimeter chamber using readily available and inexpensive materials. After showing a photo of my setup during a chat session on Rocketry Online, several rocketeers encouraged me to write an article for Sport Rocketry. The article that follows will detail the simple physics, a parts list, and construction tips for others that may be interested in building an altitude chamber of their own. The System Requirements Once I’d decided to build an altitude chamber and being the aerospace engineer that I am, I had to decide upon the basic requirements for the chamber. This is what they were: The Altitude Chamber must be able to accommodate an RRC2 altimeter. Therefore, the length of the chamber needed to be about 8 inches and the neck of the chamber needed to be at least 2 inches wide. The Altitude Chamber must be able to use LED or piezo buzzers on the altimeter drogue and main channels to indicate excitation of the output channels. The Altitude Chamber must be able to hold a vacuum for a few seconds (minimum), so as not to prematurely trigger ‘apogee detection.’ The Altitude Chamber must be able to control the rate of pressure decrease (ascent) and pressure increase (descent). The Altitude Chamber must be able to simulate an altitude of 1500 feet (AGL), minimum. There’s nothing magical about 1500 ft, but it gives a good bit of margin over the altitude needed to trigger ‘ascent mode’ in barometric altimeters, and 1500’ should be relatively easy to achi