The airboss looks a lot like the W4SSY "Spudgun" that appeared in March
2009 QST. I built a variation from those plans. I used a manual valve
(pvc valve) rather than the electric. I used a projectile made from 1/2"
pvc pipe with a pipe cap on it. No matter how much I pumped it up it would
not go more than 30ft. Too be fair though I was shooting 1/8" electrical
pull twine rather than a fishing line. It still baffles me why more air
did not equate to going higher. I also had an air chamber 3" id and 18"
long so it should have had the umph to go as high as I wanted it to go!
Thank you.
Jim Pruitt
WA7DUY
On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 4:19 PM, W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com> wrote:
> You can build the Air Boss or similar from parts at your favorite big box
> store and you will need a valve stem from the auto parts store. This is by
> far the easiest method I have tried and I had fun making it. It will fire
> the weights a long way up in the air. The issue I had was finding the line
> where it came down as fishing line is really hard to see. I would also
> suggest the spider wire. While expensive relative to other line, it is
> super strong.
>
> W0MU
>
>
> On 2/20/2017 10:26 AM, Jeff Draughn wrote:
>
>> Same here used it just this weekend, works like a champ!!
>>
>> Jeff, N0OST
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 8:54 AM Hardy Landskov <n7rt@cox.net> wrote:
>>
>> Hi William,
>>>
>>> I am with you. The air boss is very good and more accurate than the
>>> tennis
>>>
>>> ball kind. (More mass, less drag.) But if you accidently got hit by one
>>> at
>>>
>>> close range you would be in a world of hurt medically.
>>>
>>> Now I need to find bottles of compressed air. The bicycle pump is ok but
>>> can
>>>
>>> be tiring.
>>>
>>> Another hint: Paint your weights with fluorescent paint. Makes them
>>> easier
>>>
>>> to find.
>>>
>>> Hardy N7RT/4
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>
>>> From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
>>>
>>> william radice
>>>
>>> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 9:09 AM
>>>
>>> To: towertalk@contesting.com
>>>
>>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Antenna launcher found
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> :::: How is it that all of you seem to be unaware of the fabulous antenna
>>>
>>> launcher called the Air Boss?? No one seems to have mentioned it
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.kr4loairboss.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I've had this thing for several years and I can out up a wire anywhere,
>>>
>>> anytime, in a few minutes. Why would you need anything else?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> BILL
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/20/2017 8:08 AM, Patrick Greenlee wrote:
>>>
>>> Be careful, be very careful. There is a reason PVC pipe is not allowed
>>> for
>>>
>>> distributing shop air. People do it out of ignorance or because money
>>> means
>>>
>>> more than safety to them. Google to see some pix of what shrapnel damage
>>>
>>> from exploding PVC pipe can do. Because people aren't killed first time
>>>
>>> every time they pressure up PVC pipe doesn't mean it isn't dangerous.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I bought a tennis ball launcher as a birthday gift for a friend. If I
>>> recall
>>>
>>> correctly it is called a K-9 Kannon. It is made of plastic and uses
>>> large
>>>
>>> rubber bands for launching the ball, ostensibly for a dog to retrieve,
>>> hence
>>>
>>> the name. There are several models ranging in cost from about $7.50 to
>>> $20.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Patrick NJ5G
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/19/2017 10:42 PM, Mickey Baker wrote:
>>>
>>> Being the cheap ham that I am, I built one from the plans on that site,
>>> but
>>>
>>> a but a bit more robust.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I can launch a standard new tennis ball 250 meters at a ground level
>>> target
>>>
>>> and much taller than anything around here. I have ropes in 70 foot pine
>>>
>>> trees supporting wire antennas.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I hate the fishing reel that I'm using, so I should probably upgrade the
>>>
>>> reel.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There's some margin for safety built in, but I wouldn't inflate more than
>>>
>>> the recommended pressure with a PVC pressure vessel. A failure could be
>>>
>>> dangerous.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Be safe, a tennis ball could hurt someone!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 73,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Mickey N4MB
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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