mark.f wrote:Uh, so you're going to shoot this, right Crowley?
I have an idea of how the "location effects" work, but a PM would be cool? To clarify, it looks like the threaded rod moves back into the rear of the round upon impact...
Very nice work, LeMaudit. This is the nicest object I've ever seen designed to by launched at high velocities...
Actually, aside from the four holes (in case I decided to use smoke on the off chance it works), there are no "location effects" on this particular round. I believe the rod is just a way to keep it all together.
We ruled out smoke because:
a) it would require a very unique styled sabot that would risk the projectile not being launched properly
and
b) the smoke would only help to get a general idea of the projectile direction, smoke would either run out or be too hard to see by the time it gets out past 2000m or so I imagine.
We ruled out transmitters because:
a) we'd need to use something that operated in the UHF range to keep the antenna short
and
b) would be too expensive to make a reliable one (~$75)
We ruled out LEDs because:
a) no way you'll see an LED past a 1000m or perhaps even less. Like the smoke, it may give a general direction but little else.
We ruled out dye because:
a) on the chance it deployed correctly and left a visible mark above surface, the mark still may be too hard to find due to the low volume of dye.
Think that's all the options we discussed.
I'm thinking I might take my chances and fire at
this. It's about 3500m away (if shot from the beach/cliffs), the firing zone is close to my house (2min walk) and the island receives a large amount of visitors at one time of the day yet practically zero at another time of the day.
If I included an email address or phone number waterproofed inside the projectile, there is the slim possibility either a tourist or a DOC (Department Of Conservation) worker would find it and hopefully report it. I could make the note and email address sound official so they are more likely to report it. I wouldn't be worried about someone reporting it to the police though. There are a very small number of 'houses' (~6) on the island but they're all located by the ferry terminal and if I did the shot late in to the evening at an isolated part of the island there wouldn't be a risk of hitting anyone as the last of the day ferry leaves at around 5pm I think and the island isn't suitable for camping.
Anyway, just thinking it might be better than blatantly losing it in the sand up at that beach where the chance of recovery is virtually zero without any "location effects".
