Congratulations to Byron Black W4SSY who penned an article on “Launching your wires with a Spudgun” published in the March 2009 issue of QST magazine starting on page 67. His construction article details a linear electrically actuated  PVC projectile firing pneumatic launcher with a closed face fishing reel. He also mentions a couple of other designs that he tried. It is great to see the technology get out there and reduce the danger of slingshots and throwing wrenches and rocks into trees, though the term Spudgun is problematic as those are applied to combustion launchers and  increasingly outlawed in some locales. Let’s not use combustion launchers as they are too difficult to control and avoid the term Spudgun for its attachment to problematic applications and equipment.

We’ve previously written extensively about the development of Pneumatic Antenna Launchers here, but some quick facts – electrically triggered launchers are HALF as efficient as pneumatics, and there are a lot of wires to deal with and dead batteries reduce reliability. Hard projectiles raise some safety concerns and closed face reels reduce performace as well, but they do work. Ball valve launchers, which he also mentions, are difficult to hold accurately aimed while operating, and the valves open too slowly and inconsistently for good efficiency and repeatable height. Whatever launcher you use, BE SAFE!