Altitude competition events and use of altimeters at NARAM 58

As you may know, NARAM 58 is the second national competition to use all electronic altimeters for altitude measurement. The use of altimeters at NARAM 58 will be governed by the U.S. Model Rocket Sporting Code, rule 14.10.

Rule 14.10 states, in part, “The altimeter must be fully enclosed within the rocket body.”

14.10.2 Returns Procedure, states, “The model and altimeter must be returned as recovered, unopened. If necessary (as in the case of visual readout), the contestant shall open the altimeter compartment in the presence of the returns official to read the altimeter. The returns official and contestant both will concur on the reported altitude. Any other specific event rules may also apply.”

Taken together, these rules require the altimeter to be carried within the rocket body, unopened, until returned.

From the national contest board, “The altimeter must be enclosed in an altimeter compartment, which is either a section of the airframe or is itself enclosed in the airframe, until presented to the returns official. If opened before returning the model the flight would be DQ’d for an event rule reason.”