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TelemetryPro® Tracking System
  • Designed and optimized for tracking high power rockets.
  • Reliable, full featured, easy to use, high-end system.
  • Ready to fly.  No assembly or wiring required. 
  • License free.  No Ham license required.
  • Downlink radio range: 550,000 feet   (100 miles)
This system features a synthesized voice named Kate that reports the rocket trajectory in real time during the flight based on GPS and accelerometer telemetry data.  A GPS locator is also built into the receiver and will guide the user directly to the landing site.  An easy to use software program automatically generates a flight summary report, data plots, Excel file and Google Earth trajectory for the flight.
THOR-X launch, Jean Dry Lake, 2007

NEWS
Kate-3 Launched Into Space
May 1, 2023​
Evolution Space launched a rocket using the Kate-3 tracking system to an altitude of 408,456 feet on April 22, 2023 from their launch site in the Mojave desert in California.  This altitude is 15 miles above the Karman line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space.  The rocket reached a maximum speed of Mach 5.2 (3432 miles per hour).  The Kate-3 telemetry system was used for all of the onboard flight controls, GPS tracking and telemetry downlink.  The Kate-3 system performed flawlessly!  There was a solid telemetry link during the entire flight.  More information will be posted here as it is becomes available from Evolution Space.  In the meantime, here is a link to a YouTube pad cam video of the launch.​ It includes the Kate audio all the way to apogee.  There is not much to see in the video once it lifts off, but you can hear all the automated Kate system call outs over the PA system and all the cheering in the background.
Availability Update
May 1, 2023​
There is currently a waiting list for Kate-3.  This is because shipments had been on hold for 8 months due to the worldwide shortage of electronic components, including the radio modules used in Kate-3.   That situation has now been resolved and shipments are going out the door as fast as possible. However, right now the lead time is running about 4 months.  That lead time will gradually reduce as the waiting list gets shorter. If you are interested in being added to the waiting list, then please send a message using the contact page.  Doing so will give you priority over anyone added after you.  Updates will be posted here as the situation changes.
Price Increases
March 1, 2023
​Unfortunately, it has become necessary to increase prices. This is the first time that prices have been increased since these products were introduced. Some of them going back as far as 2014.  These higher prices are a result of the cost of materials and assembly having significantly increased over time and especially in the last few years.  The price of a receiver and transmitter pair is now 11% higher.  Other items have also increased slightly.  Carrying cases for example have gone up 7%.  These price increases have been minimized as much as possible, but they have become necessary in order to keep this business viable going forward.  The new prices are all listed on the BUY webpage. 
Kate-3 Successfully launched to over 293,000 feet!
February 11, 2023
Kip Daugirdas successfully flew the Kate-3 tracking system to over 293,000 feet and Mach 4.18 in a two-stage rocket named MESOS.  The rocket was launched from the Black Rock dry lake bed in northwestern Nevada on October 1, 2022.  The Kate-3 system controlled all flight operations including sustainer ignition, drogue and main parachute deployments, GPS tracking and telemetry downlink.  The booster and sustainer were both safely recovered.  More information along with pictures and some outstanding onboard video are available here. 
Kate-1 and Kate-2 are Obsolete
August 30, 2021
Kate-3 is the newest version and replaces the older and now obsolete Kate-2.  Kate-1 and Kate-2 are no longer being produced because the radio module used in them is no longer available.  After 12 years the radio module has been discontinued by the manufacturer.  Unfortunately, this means Kate-3 transmitters and receivers are not compatible and will not communicate with the older Kate-1 and Kate-2 transmitters and receivers. ​Customers with existing Kate-1 and Kate-2 products will still be supported with ongoing firmware updates that include new features. 
​ 

Kate 2.0 Transmitter
TelemetryPro® Kate-3 Transmitter
  • Unlimited altitude GPS with five updates per second.
  • License free 900 MHz one watt transmitter with smart power management.
  • ​Downlink radio range: 550,000 feet.  (100 miles)
  • Li-ion battery with onboard charger.
  • Mounts in a standard 54mm coupler tube.
  • Ready to fly. No sled to build, no wiring required.  This is not a "bare board" product.
  • Completely self-contained. Easy to move from one rocket to another.
  • Onboard 50G accelerometer is recorded at 100 readings/sec.
  • Onboard 3-axis gyroscope recorded at 100 readings/sec and is good up to 2000 degrees/sec.
  • Onboard barometric pressure sensor is accurate up to 100,000 feet.
  • All flight data is saved in onboard flash memory for post flight analysis.
  • Built-in USB interface for off-loading flight data and recharging the battery.
  • Six status indicators: Flight Mode, Config Mode, USB Activity, Charging, Charge Done, Charge Failed.
  • Set any Kate-3 receiver to the transmitter ID code to establish a connection.
  • Each transmitter has a unique ID code.  No need to coordinate frequency use at a large launch event.
The Kate-3 transmitter features a GPS with unlimited altitude capability.  It can be used to track extremely high altitude flights and capture the maximum altitude with GPS precision.  Every other GPS tracker being sold for use in hobby/amateur rockets is limited to a maximum operational altitude of 50km (164K feet).  
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Pyro Board adds Deployment and Staging Capability
Another significant feature of the Kate-3 transmitter is an optional add-on pyro board that adds deployment and staging capability.  This means an apogee event can be fired with GPS precision even at altitudes that reach into space.  The pyro board has seven firing channels plus one solid state relay output.   GPS and gyro tilt lockout are included for safe staging.  Power-on and arming of the pyro system can be done remotely for added safety.  There is also a built-in safety shunt for the sustainer motor igniter connection. Deployments and staging events can be configured using the Mx220 Receiver.  No computer needed.  Deployment and staging events can be triggered based on a flexible combination of GPS, accelerometer, gyro, barometric pressure, timer, or manual command. There are also two general purpose inputs for monitoring external events.  Multiple mounting configurations are supported for the pyro board.
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TelemetryPro® Kate-3 Receiver
  • Fully integrated handheld receiver with antenna, display, buttons, and internal GPS.  
  • LCD display is fully readable in direct sunlight.
  • Easy to use and very intuitive.  Simple menu driven user interface with on-screen cursor.
  • Interactive pre-launch go/no-go status display guides user with setup when getting ready to launch.
  • All of the live telemetry data is displayed on screen in real time during the flight.
  • A synthesized voice (Kate) reports rocket trajectory in real time during the flight. Speaker is built-in. An audio output jack is also available for connecting Kate into the launch PA system. It is fun to listen to Kate while watching the flight. This also enhances safety by letting everyone know exactly what is happening in real time. Especially if the rocket has gone out of sight.
  • Flight data and Kate audio commentary from four flights can be saved to internal memory.  The data and audio can also be downloaded over USB for post flight analysis and play back.
  • A locator screen shows distance and direction to the landing site.  Very easy to use for rocket recovery. 
  • A special map mode shows the rocket location in real time on a map displayed on a tablet or laptop.
  • Selectable transmitter ID codes allow any receiver to operate with any transmitter. This allows multiple users to share one receiver. Multiple receivers can also be used for redundancy to simultaneously track one rocket.
  • High performance circularly polarized antenna eliminates signal loss due to transmitter orientation during the flight.  There is a five segment signal strength indicator displayed on screen at all times.
  • Flight simulation mode for initial familiarization and practice before an actual flight. 
  • Status displays for both the transmitter and the receiver batteries.
  • Requires four standard AA alkaline batteries.

Click the play button to hear Kate say hello.

This audio is from a flight that went just over 10,000 feet.  There are extended periods of silence in some places because this is a recording of the real time events as actually called out by Kate during the flight.
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Turn-On Coil
  • Works with both Kate-1, Kate-2 and Kate-3 transmitters.
  • The transmitter can be powered-on by activating the turn-on coil around the outside of the nosecone.
  • No access hole to the transmitter power switch is needed.
  • Turn-on coil is optional but very handy!
  • One button operation.
  • Green LED indicator shows battery status and that the unit is operating.
  • Requires one 9V alkaline battery.
  • The transmitter can be powered-off by sending a command from the receiver.
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Carrying Case
  • Tough, rugged and lightweight
  • Airtight and watertight
  • Easy opening ​Press & Pull® latches
  • Soft-grip, solid-core carrying handle
  • Precision cut anti-static polyurethane/ester foam
  • Injection molded HPX® high performance resin
  • Dent-resistant and shatter-resistant
  • Silicone o-ring seal
  • Two molded-in hasps for padlocks
  • TelemetryPro System decal in recessed area on lid
  • Permanently attached Vortex® pressure relief value
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Flight Data Analyzer
Flight Data Analyzer is a software program used to download and analyze the flight data recorded by either the transmitter or receiver.  The data is presented in various plots and as a Google Earth trajectory.  An Excel spreadsheet is also created to allow the user to perform any further analysis that might be desired.  This software can also be used to replay the Kate audio commentary from a flight.  It can also update the firmware in the transmitter or the receiver.
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Hall Of Fame Flights
A collection of flights made by TelemetryPro users is presented in our "Hall of Fame".   Photos, videos, flight data and the Kate audio output from the TelemetryPro system are included.   Visit the Hall of Fame page!

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