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News - IT Update | about a year ago

As a US based business, I am happy to see the UPS shipping options added. We like to use UPS and FedEx as much as possible since they seem to get it to us quickly and for a decent price. That doesn’t mean we don’t like to use USPS, but it just seems that when something goes missing with the USPS (even when insured), they just do not care. That is what you get when you let the government control anything.

News - Arduino Animatronic Hand | about a year ago

The 90’s kicked ass!

News - Sending a Balloon Into Ne… | about a year ago

We are using the Trimble Copernicus module in our HAB payload, the RTrak-HAB, to get past the 60K feet limitation. One of the leading HAB groups in Canada has flown our prototype payload on a few missions and so far they love it. Barry, their head hardware guy has written a very nice article about it:
http://bear.sbszoo.com/construction/traker/RTrak/RTrak-HAB.htm
We have settled on a final revision and will have these for sale very soon.

News - Free Day is January 13th,… | about 2 years ago

I am curious to how far back the sales records go. I was purchasing parts and programmers back when it was still the old blue background site. That was maybe circa 2002? 2003?

News - High Altitude Balloon Pro… | about 2 years ago

Correction! The photo shown was of someone ELSE’S setup. Sorry about that! But I still hope to see youins fly APRS on one of your future payloads.

News - High Altitude Balloon Pro… | about 2 years ago

I noticed in one of the details pictures, there was an OpenTracker 1+ APRS module in there. That is the same module that out RTrak-HAP high altitude payload is based on. It was in the picture, but the detailed description failed to even mention it or APRS being used for tracking. Was this intentionally left out?

News - High Altitude Balloon Pro… | about 2 years ago

That is why we went with the Trimble Copernicus module. When put into AIR MODE, it’s good for well over the usual 60K feet mark that most units top out at.

News - High Altitude Balloon Pro… | about 2 years ago

You needed one of our RTrak-HAP (High Altitude Package) APRS trackers on the balloon so you knew where it came down:
http://rpc-electronics.com/img/rtrak/hap/dscf2358.jpg
http://rpc-electronics.com/img/rtrak/hap/dscf2365.jpg

News - Playing with Cheap Heat G… | about 3 years ago

I have to correct myself, its a Wagner heatgun, not Badger. Must have had air brushing on my mind :o)

News - Playing with Cheap Heat G… | about 3 years ago

As you found out, it’s easy to find an alternative to a prfession hot-air station, but most will heat too much of the board and it’s hard to localize it.
I am actually using a Badger heat gun/paint remover. I use it by clamping one edge of the board in a really nifty board holder I have and heating from the bottom.
The nozzle is roughly an inch in diameter and does heat up more of a board that I want, but it does a great job at heating up fast and getting the job done. I have used it mostly for doing re-work on larger parts like SMT GPS modules (Trimble Copericus mostly).
I even use it to reflow small boards after I paste and pick and place them by hand. I put the board my board holder and then reflow by heating from the bottom.
I am looking for an easy way to make some restriction nozzles and try to tighten up the air stream for small work.