GATE Pulsar H Hybrid HPA Engine, ASTER II Bluetooth, Rear Wired

The GATE Pulsar H with ASTER II Bluetooth EXPERT is a complete HPA set for V2 gearboxes, here in the Rear Wired version, where the power wires run to the rear for a battery in the stock or buffer tube. The Pulsar H is a hybrid HPA engine with one solenoid valve, fitted in place of the cylinder, piston and cylinder head, and the ASTER II controls both valve and trigger optically.

The hybrid principle separates the nozzle movement from the air pulse itself. That gives the Pulsar H a tolerance to gearbox alignment that the simpler Pulsar S does not have, without stepping up in price and complexity to a dual-valve Pulsar D. With the ASTER II you also get an optical trigger sensor and setup via Bluetooth in the GATE Control Station app – from sensitivity and fire modes to ROF and magazine simulation.

Benefits of the Pulsar H and ASTER II

The technical content of the set:

• ASTER II Bluetooth EXPERT: Optical V2 drop-in control unit with adjustable Quantum Trigger 2 and Bluetooth 5.2. The EXPERT firmware gives access to fire modes such as SEMI, BINARY, BURST and AUTO plus ROF control and magazine simulation.
• Two-stage hybrid open bolt: Nozzle cycle and air supply are separated, which according to GATE gives more stable performance than a classic single-valve open bolt – without the empty first shot you can experience with closed bolt.
• Tolerant to installation: The Pulsar H is considerably less sensitive to the precision of the replica and the installation than the Pulsar S, which requires almost perfect axial alignment of the gearbox.
• Up to 40 RPS: The rate of fire is controlled from 1 to 40 rounds per second, and GATE states no drop in muzzle velocity on AUTO compared with SEMI. Feeding depends on the magazine.
• Air economy and weight: Approx. 1 PSI per shot at 90 PSI with a 0.8 l/300 bar tank. The engine weighs 92 g and the ASTER II only 23.4 g.

Maintenance and safety

• Installing an HPA engine requires experience: the gearbox must be emptied, the engine placed fully forward against the front wall of the gearbox, and wires and air line routed without being pinched. We are happy to fit and set it up in our workshop in Aulum, Denmark.
• Only use high-pressure air via a regulator, and keep the operating pressure within 60–140 PSI (approx. 4.1–9.7 bar) – higher pressure can damage the engine. GATE recommends, for example, PolarStar MRS, Redline SFR or Wolverine STORM as regulators.
• The ASTER II and valve are powered by a small 7.4 V battery, which with Rear Wired routing is placed at the rear – check that your stock or buffer tube has room. The air line has a 6 mm outer diameter and M5×0.8 thread in the engine. A QD fitting (US/EU) is not included and must be bought for your system.
• GATE advises against silicone buckings with Pulsar engines, because they wear faster and change properties with temperature swings. Rubber buckings such as Maple Leaf Mr. Hop, Madbull Blue, TNT Black with nub or G&G green typically work well.