I picked up a video transmitting camera off Ebay and thought it would be good for rocketry. It is self contained and runs off a 9V battery.
The "SPY" camera I got off Ebay
I built a camera bay that would mount on my un-used Black Brant airframe.
The "SPY" camera I got off Ebay
The camera is pretty much square so I decided to make a mount out of 1/8in plywood with a block on one side that was the same thickness as the camera.
Pieces of the mount
I cut a hole in the bottom plate that snuggly fits the camera lens assembly. I also had to remove some of the upper plate to accomodate one of the camera screws. I used a countersink bit to do this.
Bottom view of
upper plate showing removed portion.
I had to cut a channel in the wood block so the cable could pass through the opening in the airframe.
Channel can be seen on left
Here is the camera mount assembled with the two screws that hold it together installed. Notice How I shaped the ply and wood block to the same curvature as that of the airframe.
Camera mount assembled
Now I needed to make a mount in the airframe.
I marked a point on the airframe that was 1/2 the length of the coupler
plus 1/8in to accomodate the bulk plate.
This mark is the bottom of the
opening.
I marked another point that was the thickness of the camera mount
away from the first point.
This will be the top of the opening, cut it wide
enough to accept the camera assembley.
Coupler glued in place 1/8 below the opening
I cut a bulk plate to fit in the BT. I cut two notches in either
side of it to accept the Kevlar harness.
I cut a piece of Kelvar about 4in
long and tied knots in each end and secured with CA.
Bulkplate and Kevlar harness
I positioned the plate against the coupler with the Kevlar trapped by the notches in the BP. Note in the following picture how the bulkplate is level with the bottom edge of the cutout.
View of the knot trapped by the BP
Feed the large power connector through the cutout and position the cable so its in the channel of the wood block and feed the camera into the airframe.
Sliding the camera in
Once it is all the way in secure it with a single wood screw through the BT into the wood block.
A good view of the harness
If the tube is the correct lenght the 9V snap will just come out the top so you can attach the battery, this is the on\off 'switch'.
Looking down into the bay.
And thats it, just attach a 9V, pop on the NC and tape it so it wont fall off.
The completed camera bay