2008 EMRR Challenge CONTEST - IS OVER! Contests:   All   Previous   Next

Essence's Model Rocketry Reviews' Challenge is now in its fourth year! We've appreciated the many comments from particiants who have said that the challenge has encouraged them to attempt and learn different aspects of rocketry. We hope the 2008 version provides the same level of challenge.

The number one lesson from the previous 3 years is DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!

The purpose of our challenge has always been to give our guests some milestones throughout the year while supporting EMRR. This year we will be enhancing the "milestones" portion of the contest.

We believe that this challenge will not only help the participants to have fun in our hobby, but will also provide them with some learning experiences. We also believe that by sharing those experiences through the pages of EMRR, that others will benefit as well.

Junior Bonus: If you are 15 or younger, you will receive twice the entries for the drawing level that you achieve. In other words, if you make Silver, you will get two Silver entries for the drawing at the end of the year.

The challenge runs from 1/15/08 - 12/15/08. Drawing to take place on/about 1/1/09.

Challenge Awards:

Matt Gillard		For each participant that scores 31 points or more will be entered to win the grand prize. (The Largest Sat V kit on the market!!! from Sheri's HOT Rockets - valued at $449) For each additional 4 points over 31 each participant will gain an addition entry. The maximum points available is 39, therefore, the maximum entries for the grand prize is 3.
Chan Stevens		For each participant that scores 29 points or more will be entered to win the runner-up prize. (A 6-Pack variety of Blant Brant's from Advanced Rocketry Group - valued at ~$150)
William Beggs		For each participant that scores 25 points or more will be entered to win the second runner-up prize. (A Cosmodrome Nike Smoke from Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack - valued at ~$50)
		All participants with at least 19 points will receive the next version of "2009 EMRR Calendar"**
		Wiliam Beggs Les Bradshaw Matt Gillard Ray King Todd Mullin John Partridge Brian Ray Chan Stevens
		* Shipping is included in the shopping spree amount. ** If "2009 EMRR Calendar" is not produced then an alternate prize (e.g. rocket kit from Model Minutes) will be provided as a replacement.

THE CHALLENGE COUNTDOWN:

		Challenge Description	Milestone	Max Points
10		Sign in on the EMRR Announcement eList - Mandatory This will be the only communication path, so turn on ability to receive e-mails		1
9		Promote and publicize EMRR in some tangible way (see Q/A for examples). Must include link to Home Page (www.rocketreviews.com) for written/online items. Must ensure we are aware of it.	5/1/08 or point is unavailable	1
8		Build any of the rockets listed on EMRR's Hit List (or Super Hit List) by Building, Finishing, Flying* and Reviewing - OR - Same challenge on any scale (including sport scale) kit of a "real" rocket on Hit List.	6/1/08 or can only get 2 or 4 points	3 - OR - 5
7		Document with step-by-step instructions and pictures a Featured Tip on any model rocketry related technique. This can be sent in text, MS Word, or other format instead of the standard tip submission form. - OR - Same challenge specific to "scale", replication of a real rocket or upscaling or downscaling any type of rocket, rocketry related technique.	8/1/08 or can only get 2 or 4 points	3 - OR - 5
6		Design, Build and Fly* and write an article on an upscale (at least 1.5x) or downscale (at least 0.5x) of any released (or OOP) rocket kit. (guidelines) - OR - Same challenge on a "real" scale rocket kit.	9/1/08 or can only get 3 or 5 points	4 - OR - 6
5		Use Rocket Design or Simulation software to design a completely new rocket then Build and Fly* and write an article on your new design. Ensure that it is built exactly as the software expects and include one of more paragraphs in your article about the use of the software (pro's and con's) and actual flight results compared to the simulation software.(guidelines) - OR - Same challenge on a "real" rocket demonstrating that it has been built from scratch and not one of the many released kits.	10/1/08 or can only get 1 or 4 points	3 - OR - 6
4		Youth Participation: Get involved with introducing or reinforcing modeling rocketry with a group (3 or more) of younger ones by participating in our "Youth Participation" contest.	11/1/08 or can only get 4 points	6
3		Design, Build and Fly* and write an article on any of the "Design this Spaceship" rockets. (guidelines)	12/1/08 or can only get 4 points	6
2		Participate in at least one other EMRR Contest during 2008.	12/1/08 or point is unavailable	1
1		Utilize the EMRR Flight Logs database to document all of your 2008 flights**.	12/15/08 or points are unavailable	3
		BLAST OFF!!!!!!

JUMP TO Q/A

FINE PRINT:

• Points for each challenge can only be gained once regardless if multiple qualifying entries are made.
• Items do not need to be performed in any order
• * Fly = Each rocket must be flown 3 times, unless destroyed or lost. The challenge rocket flights are the ones, at minimum, that need to be recorded in the EMRR Flight Logs database
• ** Flight Logs. EMRR can't verify that ALL of the participant's 2008 flights are recorded, however, all the flights necessary for the challenge can be. In the spirit of the challenge, participants should endeavor to enter all of their flight logs for 2008.
• Only 1 prize + the calendar (or alternate) will be awarded and the drawings will be from the top down (Gold, Silver, Bronze)
• Rockets for 6 and 5: These rockets can be a submission to any other design contests that is taking place during 2007, e.g. BRS on EMRR, FlisKits DOM, RMR Descon, etc.
• Rockets for 3: These rockets can NOT be submitted to any other design contest that is taking place during 2007, e.g. BRS on EMRR, FlisKits DOM, RMR Descon, etc.
• Rockets for 6, 5 and 3: These rockets can NOT be the same rocket.

Participant Status

Want to participate? Let me know.

We will track individual's status here:
(clicking on bars will take you to the entries)

WARNING: Points for reviews/articles are listed even if they have less than (3) flights, it is expected that they will have (3) flights prior to the end of the challenge or lose the points.

Who	2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40	Final
KEY	10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Art Applewhite
Lance Alligood
Zoe Balkwell
Simon Berry
Dan Bihary
William Beggs		34
Patrick Bissonnette
Jeff Boldig
Les Bradshaw		36 (2)
Andrew Calderon
Joshua Callaway
Jon Chrisman
Ian Cinnamon
Dave Combs
Bill Cooke
Bob Cox
Jonah Robert Dahncke
Bill Eichelberger
Matt Gillard		40 (3)
Chris Guidry
Chris Halinaty
Hank Helmen
Joshua Joung
Geoffrey Kerbel
Ray King		31
Mark Koelsch
Jeff Lane
Donald Laskey
Mike McFadden
Paul Morris
Todd Mullin		34
Michael Nipper
Eldred Pickett
John Partridge		29
Brian Ray		25
Chris Rhodes
Frank Ross
Glen Roth
Jordan Ryan
Ed Scientist
Joy Sills
Chan Stevens		33
Doyle Tatum
Scott Turnbull
Alan Tuskes
Gene Wolski
Craig Zicafoose
KEY	10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

QA

• If we are already on the Announcement eList, do we need to re-register?
  • No. Just let me know your Announcement eList address.
• If I have a rocket that I built and flew last year but never reviewed, is it still eligible or does it have to be built and flown this year?
  • EMRR can not confirm when people build the rocket. We can only tell when things are submitted to EMRR. The spirit of the competition was that all activities of the challenge would be in 2008.
• If a challenge has a low point -or- a higher point score, can I submit for the lower point and then go for the higher one later in the year??
  • Yes. Now you are seeing some of the strategy! (note: it is either low pts or high pts, not additive)
• I've replied to your thread about the EMRR 2008 Challenge. Is this adequate mention of EMRR on TRF, or should I try to mention EMRR somewhere else?
  • If you were me, how would you respond? Here are some ideas:
    • Your Webpage of Blog
    • Your Club’s Webpage
    • Your Club’s Newsletter (send me a scan or eCopy)
    • Your Hobby Store’s Webpage
    • Mention in article, authored by you, for any print rocket magazine
    • Picture of yourself at a launch in EMRR-ware (purchased req’d – sorry)
    • Picture of your rocket at a launch with EMRR sticker on it
    • Public discussion threads with EMRR in title that indicate some benefit or specific article, tip, etc
    • Provide Prizes for EMRR Contests (not anonymously)
  • pro-mote (pruh moht') v.t. <-mot-ed, -mot-ing>
    • 1. to help or encourage to exist or flourish; further: to promote world peace.
    • 2. to advance in rank, dignity, position, etc.
• I was also wondering what happens if you purchase a rocket to review that is on the hit list but after you get started someone else posts a review before you do? Will it still count?
  • Yes
• Why haven't you updated my score with the Tip or Review I just submitted?
  • Updates to scores will occur when I post the submissions to the site and I can link to them. But, please, reminders are not frowned upon if after a site update you don't see your score updated!
• You say "Review" in places and "article" in others. Is there a difference between a review and an article? If so, which submission form should be used for an article?
  • Reviews are something with EMRR ratings (Kits, Plans and sometimes OOP); Articles are everything else without EMRR ratings (MODS, Scratch, and sometimes OOP). In essence, they're the same thing.
• Do I have to participate in the EMRR Challenge to participate in the "Design this Spaceship" contest?
  • No, but why not?
• What is a "real" rocket?
  • It is a rocket that has been flown in "real" life -or- a design of one that will be flown in the future.
• Is a purchase of Rocket Design or Simulation software required?
  • No. My experience is with RockSIM and SpaceCAD, both have a free, fully-functional trial period. There are other software packages available as well (mostly simulation only). Also, note that SpaceCAD has offered a 15% discount to EMRR Guests. Contact EMRR to get the discount code.