What makes an Amateur Rocketeer...

Exactly.

Yup... exactly.

Providing that we are *allowed* to pursue our interests and our hobby.

We stand on a slippery slope... legislation is being enacted to prevent us from pursuing our hobby because of (ridiculous) 'National Security Concerns'....

... these concerns (and precedents) will necessitate that next we must legislate Model Aircraft, GPS, FRMS, and (shuddeer)... Amateur Radio.

... paranoid?

Maybe, but I'm getting tired of trading my freedom for 'security'... they've been trying to shut down Amateur Radio for years... if it weren't the 'Emergency Preparedness' arguement, we wouldn't have APRS or a myriad of other tools at our disposal!

... and I remember the way things USED to be... as a kid, I could purchase a chemistry set, a Bunsen burner, chemicals, and glassware to do my own amateur experiments. My imagination, the lawns I could mow, and the pocket book of my mother were the only limiting factors to what I could learn and discover.

I said nothing as they removed the chemistry sets from the shelves, when they cited safety concerns, and 'Drug Making'... I'll be damned if I'll sit quitely by and watch the rest of the INTERESTING things to do get taken away to 'protect me from myself'.

Mark (Damn that felt good, Thanks!) ;)

well we may all be Amateur Rocketeers, but there are 2 branches of AR: the Hatfields and the McCoys.....

the Hatfields will accept user and motor certification and some degree of regulation, the McCoys on the other hand refuse to accept any user or motor certs nor any appreciable regulation....

therein lies the rub...........

shockie B)

self-impose

self-impose

Details matter.

Oh please...the Hatfields and the McCoys were mere diletantes at the art of holding a grudge! Arabs have been holding a grudge against "the other side of the family" for something like three or four millenia(ol' Abraham should have kept his robe zipped!), and they've got nuthin' on the amateur/modeler split in rocketry... ;-)

(Note smiley face before flaming...)

NFPA codes, adopted by states, set definitions for model rocketry and high power rocketry. Anything outside those definitions is something else and must comply with some other set of regs (pyro, explosives, whatever).

I'm with you Mark but here in Oztralia we are pretty much banned from any thing the reseambles fun. I have recently lost My Glock G22C because our Prime Minister seems to think that it is an easiley concealed handgun...but I am allowed to keep me SW M18

Fireworks have been banned for years. They cite exactley the same thing about Chemistry sets.

Pump Action, Auto Loader Shotguns and all calibres of semiauto firearms are banned or very restricted. So we have less fun than you guys....at least you have a constitution...we dont! Well not one that protects our rights.

I am waiting for the Day the Jack boots come a knocking and tell me to stop playing with my rockets.....Hell they have already told me I need a license to manufacture explosives. And all I am doing is mixing a little salt and sugar really.

There thats better.......

Can I say I don't necessarily disagree with your post but disagree in the terminology?

Your definition of the word "amateur" is right-on-the-money but the phrase "amateur rocketry" refers to a specific segment of rocketicians. I'll go with Ray Dunakin's definition but add liquid propellant motors for amateurs as well.

Nevertheless, good, senssible discussion...

The dictionary definition doesn't match the definitions used by our hobby.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!