(Contributed - by Duane Boldt - 05/29/10)

Brief:
Pratt Hobbies makes a real nice multiple pad launch controller for a reasonable price. They sell the SIXPACK regularly on their site. My kids' school needed a controller for their classroom and rocketry club launches. We had build two 4 pad racks and wanted an 8 pad controller. Doug at Pratt Hobbies came through, even while he was busy getting ready for a trip, and knocked out an 8 pad version for us in time for our big day of launching 300+ rockets. Great customer service.

Construction:

• Control box with 8 clearly numbered stations.
• 8 arming switches
• 8 continuity lights
• 8 Nice big red launch buttons
• Master power switch with RCA connection key on retracting clip
• Quick disconnect power cables with clamps to connect to battery or jump starter
• 8 extension cords with clips

** User supplies inexpensive standard extension cords in their desired length to go from the controller to the shorter cords with clips that are supplied.

The Pratt Hobbies' SIXPACK/EIGHTPACK is very easy to use and very convenient for club and classroom launches. It is a nice compact unit that has performed flawlessly for hundreds of launches.

Our school's rocketry club can now launch rockets for three classrooms at a time and keep 80+ kids busy. We added the EIGHTPACK with a home built 4 pad launcher and use three 4 pad racks.

We use portable automitive "Jump Starters" for power. They provide nice clean power and have come in handy when way out at a club launch and someone has a dead car battery... If you get one with a built in air compresser you can also use it with water rockets.

The only thing I would have done differently in contructing ours would be to have used three prong extension cord parts. That way, 2 or 3 prong cords could be used. We had already bought 3 prong outdoor extension cords before the box arrived. We just used a hacksaw to remove the "pole" from the male end and they have worked fine.

I'm sure Pratt would have done it any way we wanted. I had failed to mention that we had already bought 3 prong cords.

Construction Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary:
I highly recommend the Six Pack launch controller (or Eight Pack or higher is you have them build a custom controller).

They build quality products and are very accomodating and easy to work with.

They came through for us when we need a controller fast and helped us get a successful launch off on a short deadline.

For our Eight Pack I knocked off 1/2 point because of the 2 prong cords.

Overall they are great controllers and worth the cost, especially for schools and clubs.

Overall Rating of Eight Pack with 2 Prong Connections: 4 out of 5

The Pratt Hobbies' Six Pack is pictured below:

Overall Rating of Six Pack with 3 Prong Connections: 5 out of 5