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Pneumatic Antenna Launcher uses Android, Free App for AR Scope

Computers & Mobile Craft & Design
Pneumatic Antenna Launcher uses Android, Free App for AR Scope

We have covered Alanโ€™s Bioccaโ€™s fantastic clearinghouse site antennalaunchers.com before, and Brookfield, CT, resident Andrew Stoevโ€™s basic launcher design appears to be a slightly up-gunned version of Alanโ€™s CSV19 pneumatic antenna launcher. Andrew describes his basic modifications of Alanโ€™s design:

  • Slightly larger compressed air tank โ€“ my launcher is using 10 inch length of the 4โ€ณ diameter pipe for the tank vs. Alanโ€™s 8 inches. The reducing coupler I am using as part of the tank gives a little extra volume too.
  • Longer barrel โ€“ 18.5 inches vs. Alanโ€™s 16 inch barrel โ€“ I had lengthen the barrel a bit in order to account for the larger pressure vessel and have enough clearance for the Zip Reel.
  • More reliable and safer pressure vessel โ€“ instead of drilling a hole for 1โ€ณ pipe and epoxy gluing the pipe for the high pressure outlet in a 4โ€ณ end cap, I am using a 4โ€ณ to 2โ€ณ reducing coupler and and 2โ€ณ to 1โ€ณ reducing bushing as part of my pressure vessel. Another advantage is that I donโ€™t have to drill precision large diameter hole โ€“ unfortunately I donโ€™t have a lathe.
  • More reliable and safe coupling between the barrel and the high-pressure pipe โ€“ I am using 2.5โ€ณ to 2โ€ณ reducing coupler and 2โ€ณ to 1.25โ€ณ inch reducing bushing. It is much easier to assemble the launcher that way! Alanโ€™s design yields for drilling a 2.5โ€ณ end cap and epoxying the 1.25โ€ณ inlet (actually, a 90 degree elbow) in the hole
  • I made the spacer between the pressure tank and the barrel out of two pieces PVC, sliced from 4โ€ณ pipe scrap. I adjusted the curvature of each piece to follow the outside diameter of the corresponding pipe and glued the pieces back-to-back.

Itโ€™s a beautiful build, but my favorite feature is the quick-release mount he added for his Android device. Using a free app called GeoCam, his phone, when so mounted, becomes an augmented-reality aiming scope that provides GPS location, compass orientation, and (probably most usefully for this purpose) phone inclination data. [via Hack a Day]

What will the next generation of Make: look like? Weโ€™re inviting you to shape the future by investing in Make:. By becoming an investor, you help decide whatโ€™s next. The future of Make: is in your hands. Learn More.

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I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't โ€“ Magazin fรผr Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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