A Methusela of an Antenna Launcher

 

A while back I wrote an article for The ARS Sojouner entited "Antenna Launching for the Serious Practitioner." It combined a slingshot with a large-diameter, open-faced spool, originally designed for bow fishing. It worked beautifully (and still does). The spool thingamabob looked like this:.

 

 

But, human nature is frail. I wanted more.

 

So Google and I went on a hunt. The gizmo we found is one of the more thrilling toys I've encountered in a long time. It's called a pneumatic antenna launcher, and looks like this:

 

 

I built my device from a kit, which saved a lot of time. Go to this website, and you can read the whole story. Link to antennalaunchers.com

 

You might think that Methuselah resembles a spud gun or potato launcher. The similarity is only superficial. Methuselah, after all, is intended to launch a serious, scientific apparatus, like an antenna line, not a trivial vegetable, like a potato. Actually, the photo above tells only half the story. What makes Methuselah work so well is a large-diameter, open-faced spool (aha!). Here is the entire instrument, ready to roll.

 

 

Methuselah can be filled with anything that delivers pressurized air. At home, I use a compressor that formerly was intended for boring jobs, like filling tires. In the field, I use these nifty bottles of CO2, which I have filled at the paintball store in Eugene. I will admit that I feel strange standing in line with grim-faced gents, outfitted in camo and face paint, but it's worth it.

 

 

I must be truthful about an important flaw to the Methuselah story. It makes such a satsifying noise, and shoots the line so high, that you tend to lose interest in the greater enterprise. Several years ago, Bob Larkin, W7PUA, and I took Methuslah to a splendid Field Day site in Central Oregon. All went well until we realized that we really didn't want to turn on the radio.

 

In closing, I want you to examine this photo. The tree in the center is about 30 feet from my "shack." There is now a line looping over the upper branches, which required only a casual shot from Methesulah. According to my digital range finder, the line is 110 feet up there.

 

 

Russ Carpenter, AA7QU, Vida, Oregon

 

 

 

 

 Create your own free wiki!Support CommunityPublic, Silver wiki Privacy Policy RSS