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Reviews For: Joplin Amateur Radio Club Antenna Launcher Kit

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Joplin Amateur Radio Club Antenna Launcher Kit
Reviews: 33MSRP: 50 including freight in the USA
Description:
Pneumatic Antenna Launcher Kit
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.joplin-arc.org/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
22.5333.9
K0JP Rating: 2017-10-05
Works well for me! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am very pleased with this antenna launcher. It has been used eight times and has successfully, and easily, launched line over trees with heights up to 55 feet. It is a far better solution than my old slingshot!

I installed a G5RV antenna in a very heavy growth of pine/fir/balsam and was concerned that the PVC tube launched into the trees would not clear and return to the ground. Both lines launched came back to ground level without incident and the G5RV pulled into place easily.

I will say that, in spite of the advice of the JARC, I did pressurize the launcher tank to 35 pounds but it held that pressure nicely. Yes, the PVC valve is a bit difficult (stiff) to actuate cleanly but that was not a significant problem even with the first launch.

I was able to purchase one of the recommended Zebco fishing reels for under $7.00 and that reel works nicely.

Kudos to the JARC for a nice product at a reasonable price.
N7GCO Rating: 2017-07-11
So=so Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I found it really did not have the punch needed to get the fishing line over my trees (65'). It needs a larger air holding area and a much better trigger.
KK5R Rating: 2016-08-27
Great, easy to build Launcher Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I tried slingshots, fishing rods, bow and arrow and finally built the antenna launcher following the instructions in QST. It worked great. Then I sent for the Joplin Launcher and it is much easier to build since all the parts are there, no hunting through bins at the hardware store. The PVC was clean so I used the Oatey Medium Orange PVC cement generously and had no leaks. The valve was hard to turn and I remembered going through about 50 valves at the hardware store to find a smooth and easy to turn valve for the QST launcher so I boiled the Joplin valve for 30 minutes and it became very easy to turn, easier than the one I had already built.

The Joplin launcher is much more compact than the QST model. I got a reel from Walmart for about $6 and it works fine. I use a stainless steel hose clamp that goes through the slot in the reel's anchor plate so it does not slip on the launcher. I put the reel down close to the valve instead at the end so it's easier to grab and reel in the line. — One thing to remember is to release the real when launching by thumbing the brake button so the line is released in the reel — otherwise the potato can pop back and hit you when you open the valve...

The potato supplied with the kit is about six inches long before installing the end caps. I cut one of the tubes in half so the potato is shorter and less likely to hang up in a tree. I do not bother to use the colored ribbon supplied because the white PVC potato is easy to see. A club member here painted his potato a bright orange-red so it's easier for him to see but for me, white is good enough.

I use the fishing line to pull a nylon cord through the trees and it becomes the line I use to pull the Dacron® line that holds the antenna wire.

Using other methods, it took one to two hours to hang an antenna but with the Joplin launcher, it takes much shorter time. For me, about 10-15 minutes for each end. Rarely do I need to launch the potato more than once because the aim is pretty much dead on. I find using 40-lbs of air is quite sufficient to launch the potato over 100-ft in the air. I use one of the little 12V Harbor Freight auto compressors and it takes about one minute to pump up the launcher's tank. I got the good pump, though, not the one that costs about $10 because the cheap one doesn't last very long. A foot pump is better when the car is not handy to use the electric pump. The foot pump usually takes less than one minute to pump up the launcher.
NT6T Rating: 2016-04-28
Excellent & very reasonable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've tried sling shots, bow and arrow, and this kit is by far the best. Just installed a windom antenna over a very high tree with no problems. Thank you Joplin ARC for a product well done.
KI4IOV Rating: 2015-12-14
Pretty good but the valve is a stiff turn Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Maybe I just need more silicone lubricant, but the vavle is still pretty hard to turn - maybe a handle would help.

Still, even with all that said, this is an EXCELLENT value! The JARC gathers the parts for you - just add PVC cement, a spinning reel and assemble! Mine went together in about 20 minutes. The PVC parts included are very heavy-duty, 480# test pipe. I had no problems at all using this with 35-40 psi. The trick is to turn the valve very quickly, but once you do, the tallest trees will be your antenna holders!

My kit arrived just days after my PayPal order, shipped USPS 2-day! JARC pre-glues the stub piece on the valve so you don't have to worry about getting glue into the valve. I'm having SO much fun w/ this that I'm putting up extra guy rope in trees that I MIGHT put an antenna in! Total cost, shipped & glued: about $75 including reel, cement & the whole shebang! You can surely pay more, and probably get a fancier unit, but this one does the job at a great price!
WY9U Rating: 2015-09-12
Did not work Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought this antenna launcher and it was quite easy to build; however, the unit I received was defective. The valve leaked air from the top of the handle and the valve would lock up when trying to turn which would slow the air discharge. The instructions warns of the valve lockup and suggest silicone lubricant which i used and it did not improve the usage even after exercising the valve 100’s of times as instructed.

To the credit of JARC they did offer to replace my launcher when i contacted them for help, however, i decided due to my overall level of frustration with the valve it was not worth it to build it again and hope performance improved and went with another solution.
VA1JSN Rating: 2015-08-19
Very effective! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Put one of these together this summer and used it to easily launch fishing line into trees over 50 feet high from almost 100 feet away at only 60 psi. Highly recommended! Takes about 30-minutes to assemble. Should have decent talent with PVC cement. :)
W4RAR Rating: 2014-11-01
Does a great job Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased this because I have a couple 65' trees in my yard I could never seem to get a wire high enough or in the right place this thing was easy assembled I just guessed at the air pressure as far as range goes pumped in 35lbs on a bicycle pump aimed cleared the tree and landed directly on the other side perfect shot first time out, I'd tried sling shots roping with cressent wrench tied to end of rope etc. this thing is extremely accurate and easy to use I don't think you could purchase the parts as cheap as they are selling this for every ham should have one.
W2LJ Rating: 2014-04-25
Works great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In the past, I always used a homebrewed version of the EZ Hang. I was never able to get the slingshot to get the line as high as I desired, though. In addition, some slingshots are illegal here in NJ, specifically the ones that have wrist braces.

I saw this Antenna Launcher on YouTube and decided to buy one. It has been one of the best purchases I have made in a long time. It goes together easily, quickly and works perfectly. I do a lot of outdoor QRP operating in parks and I can clear a 70 foot tree without breaking a sweat on the first attempt.

There's only one down side to having one of these. Once your friends know you have it, it's like owning a pickup truck on moving day - EVERYBODY is your buddy when it's antenna installation time!
AC7GI Rating: 2014-01-19
Best Value Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Antenna arrived ahead of schedule and worked better than advertised. I can't see using a more expensive Antenna Launcher. Follow the instructions and you will be hanging antennas in 1/2 hour. Zebco 202 reels can be purchased on eBay for $10.00, free shipping. Try to avoid using an open faced reel