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Reviews For: AIR BOSS pneumatic antenna launcher

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : AIR BOSS pneumatic antenna launcher
Reviews: 53MSRP: 59.95
Description:
Launches line into tall trees for erecting wire antennas
Product is in production
More Info: https://www.olahtechnologies.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15534.7
W4CP Rating: 2017-10-17
An excellent product Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have used sling shots, bows and arrows and many other means to get my antennas into the trees in my over 45 years as a ham. I had even used pneumatic launchers brought by others to Field Day.
Finally, I decided that I wanted to have my own pneumatic launcher.
So I did a search and found the AIR BOSS and noticed it was built here in North Carolina. I was going to be nearby in the Morehead City, NC area soon anyway, so I contacted Bill KR4LO and arranged to stop by and pick one up.
Bill was extremely nice, and soon I was driving home with my new launcher.
A few weeks later I was in the mountains of NC at a friend's (KK4ELT) cabin, helping him install an antenna.
I liked the design of the air boss with the pressure cylinder in line with the barrel for several reasons, one of which is that I thought it would be easy to aim. It was.
I had painted the 2 ounce lead sinkers yellow so they'd be easy to see against the leaves of the trees, and my first shot went easily over the tree, the sinker hit the ground and was quickly found. The rope pulled easily up through the tree and I was half through.
The second tree required three shots. At first I was trying for a lower limb on the tree and missed, then I went over the tree but the fishing line broke pulling up the rope (I used a slightly lower test line than he recommends). On the third try there was excellent placement of the sinker, the sinker was easily spotted hanging from the tree and, after a trial or two, the rope made it through the tree and we got the antenna up.
This is an excellent piece of gear. I don't like the fill port and gauge being in a somewhat vulnerable spot on the back of the device, but I know why he put it there (the plastic is thicker/stronger there.) So you do have to be careful when using it, and you can't just stand it in the corner when you are through.
But I found a place to hang it on the garage wall easily enough, so that the gauge and port are protected, and this small qualm is not enough to keep me from giving it five stars.
I'll use this at Field Day and to put up some wire antennas for me and some other friends. Even though it won't get used every week, I am very glad to have this among my tools. If you've never used one, he has a very good video on using it at his website.
At a price not much higher than the cost of the parts, this is a deal not to be missed!
WB4GUD Rating: 2017-06-26
Great product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the Air Boss about six months ago but wanted to wait until I had used it a few times before leaving a review. This past FD gave it (and me) quite a workout, mainly because of the leaves being out and the angle that I had to shoot. After losing one weight, I changed to another spot and all was well. I opted for a Shakespeare Alpha reel and 30 lb. Spiderwire line per Bill's recommendations, that seems to be the way to go. All the other reviews pretty much say it, great product, really will shoot a line 100'+. Just watch where you point it when it's pumped up.
KC5TNG Rating: 2017-04-20
Tool - Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
When I got mine, it leaked air pressure. I noticed that there was no "thread tape" wrapped around the pressure gauge nor the air intake valve threads, so I removed both, wrapped thread tape around the threads and re-installed them. No more pressure leaks.
I picked up a fishing reel with 20 lb test line but had some line breakage so I replaced the 20 lb line with 30 lb test line...that ended my line breakage problem.
N2CVS Rating: 2017-04-19
It works. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've used a sling shot for putting lines over trees.
This works much better.

Two things:

make shure the valve is closed before you put the weight in the barrel. It you don't the valve could jam. The instructions tell you to close the valve but not why or when.

The instructions say to mount the reel below the barrel. All the pictures show it on the barrel.

I had no trouble getting over my trees.
Not sure of their height.
At least 60'.



K4CWQ Rating: 2017-04-17
Easy to use, accurate Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've tried slingshots and I pull off target and can't get any height. I don't trust myself with a bow and arrow, just too dangerous.
Air Boss is reasonably priced and easy to use. I pump it with a portable car tire compressor. Quickly reaches desired pressure. Release valve took some getting used to, but easy to adapt. First shot was right on target. The only fault I find is the placement of the air valve on the end of the device. I'm afraid I might bend it or break it off.
The only other device that might work better would be a drone, but that would only work if I wanted the line over the top of a tree. Air Boss makes it easy to just shoot over a limb further down the tree. I don't think a drone could be maneuvered through such close places.
K4LZA Rating: 2017-03-18
Works great - better than slingshot Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I replaced my hyper hanger with the Air Boss. Much easier to use. I took the reel off my hyper hanger and installed it on the Air Boss.

Shoots much higher than I could with the tennis ball slingshot.
W3DIY Rating: 2016-11-07
The best launcher out there Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have tried the sling shot and tennis ball launchers. Both functioned as advertised, but are not suited to launch over the poplar trees at my QTH. The trees here are 110'ft tall with large splayed out branches above 50' The A.B. sinker does not overshoot and tangle in the trees like a weighted tennis ball. The sling shot would not make it to 110'.
To clear the tree tops required maximum pressure.
BTW it comes preassembled, attach your reel and you are all set.
W0CP Rating: 2016-10-27
Worked first time Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the shakespeare reel and a few 2 oz egg sinkers, put some air into it with my compressor and fired it to get a sense of the arc. Next, I shot it over a 50 foot pine and pulled up an antenna. I was done. Very predictable and fun to use. Looking forward to trying it on FD.
K7TAA Rating: 2016-05-21
Excellent antenna tool Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've used the Air Boss with the 25 lb monofilament line that came with the Shakespeare Alpha 80 reel. Based on other reviews, it may have a little more drag than the Spiderwire 30 lb line that is recommended, which I will try next. I was able to get the 2 oz. sinker within a foot of my aiming point at the top of an 80 foot evergreen on the first use. The pressure gauge indicated 55 psi. With a couple more shots, the accuracy stayed within 1-2 feet of my aiming point. I have used every method except a bow or drone to put antenna lines in trees, and this is by far the most accurate and efficient method above 45 feet.
NC3Z Rating: 2016-05-10
Great tool for a great price Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been using the Airboss more and more as I string up more antennas. I am surprised how accurately I can place my shot.

Saves so much time over other methods.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by NC3Z on 2014-04-03

Just purchased the Airboss the other week and needed to get a line up much higher in a tree than I was bale to with a slingshot. I had maybe a 10' hole in the tree canopy to shoot through to get up an over a 75' tree. Wow, first shot I was able to get through the small opening and clear the tree. Now I am probably a good 30' higher.

The Airboss is simple but highly effective!