First launch in (too) many years

On Sunday afternoon, 9/12/21, I went to the field between our middle school and junior high.  My neighbors and their daughter came to watch and help retrieve rockets.  I set up my launch pad near third base on an empty baseball field; there was a baseball game on the field to the left and a soccer game on the field past right field.

My first attempt to launch was the new Estes Patriot.  It was windier than I would have liked, so I went with a B6-4 with a projected altitude of about 250’.  After three or four countdowns it was clear the engine wouldn’t ignite.  I used several igniters because the pyrogen on the tip was crumbling off.  

I switched to the new Astrocam with the digital camera on a new B6-4, projected to go about 350’.  After two more unsuccessful countdowns I decided to replace the batteries in the launch controller, even though they were new a week ago, in case they shorted out or something.  The next attempt was successful, with a good flight but the parachute took it almost into the soccer match.  After recovery I checked the digital camera on my laptop only to find that it didn’t record any video.  Here's a view of the launch from my laptop (~23 seconds in):

Moving on, I decided to try launching my Estes Executioner on a D12-3, projected to fly about 375’.  After a few attempts I successfully launched the Executioner, recording liftoff from my laptop ~10 feet from the launch pad and recording the flight with my iPhone.  Recovery was successful, though it drifted to the sideline of the soccer match on the big 24" parachute.  The QuickTime recording of the liftoff of this 2.6” X 39” rocket was impressive, and I slowed down the launch using iMovie..

My neighbors had to leave at this point and I was out of ignitors so I gave up and decided to buy new engine igniters, upgrade my ignition system and try again another day.