Rocketronix
 

Poking around in the old Estes 1974 Catalog (online format), I found an ad for the Rocketronix products Estes used to sell.

Does anybody still have/use this old stuff? I'm curious in learning more about it.

Thanks!
Jim

the original transmitter was 100mW based on the 27MHz CB radio band. As a result the signal could be received an a standard CB radio or walkie talkie. It was crystal controlled for one channel. The stock transmitter was a beeper that could be used for direction finding. There was a microphone option (which was a earphone) so you could hear what was happening on board, they also had a thermometer option and a photo cell that could be used to measure roll. It was available as a kit, or you could order it assembled for an additional charge. it used a square battery that I think was 6 volts, and was hard to find. I friend of mine built one was never able to get it to work.

I saw some on ebay recently, so it is around.
I didn't pay much attention to it so no idea what exactly was in the sale or what it sold for.

That was one of those things (among cold power and the Cineroc) that I wanted back in 73/74 that I could never afford! I did find the scematics and instruction book online at one point so that info is out there.

Beware, though, that most of the Rocketronics you'll see on eBay is the Transroc II, which I think was just a beeper to go in your rocket and a directional microphone to help you "track" your rocket. Really crappy bring back of the name!

The original factory-assembled Transroc Rocketronics from Estes usually fetch high bids the few times they come up on eBay which is really rare; FAR rarer than Cinerocs, K-29 1/70 Saturn 1B's, and Centuri 1/45 Little Joe II's.
I remember seeing originals on eBay maybe 3 times in the last 5 years.

The Transroc II trackers that Estes offered in either the late 90's or early 2000's are genuine junk.
Avoid like the plague.

They had several of these for sale at Johnny's Toys, which was where I did my rocket shopping from 2001 until just a few years ago when they closed. They were on the racks right up to the end. I was never tempted.
Man, I miss Johnny's. :(

This is a frequency issue. The current FCC plans to make some frequencies available for consumer use. Let's make that happen.

Back in the late 80's or early 90's I was offered a complete assembled Transroc/Rocketronics NIB setup with all the accessory sensors.
I declined as it seemed to pricey to me as he was offering all the stuff for $80. did not interest me much either.
This same person had a garage and basement full of kits including multiple Centuri 1/45 LJII, Saturn V, and Saturn 1B kits. He literally had 2000 sq.ft of kits and motors. I graduated high school with this guy's oldest son. I knew he was an electrical engineer for Ford Motor Company, but never could get a straight answer how he got so much rocket stuff. He welcomed people to his house for rocket kits/motors/components just like a hobby shop. He sold the entire stash he had left to a single collector in the mid 90's. Have no idea who that was.

I was going through some stuff in my basement yesterday and found my old rocketronix stuff, I have the manual and a base kit with the microphone option, I can scan it and post it somewhere is anybody needs it.

Sure! Scan it and send it to me at scott@rocketshoppe.com. I'll make it available for people next week when I'm back in town. Thanks!