Sprague Instruments CTR-GAWL-150 - Gripper Wireless Digital Cable Tension Meter - 10-150lbs
The Sprague Instruments CTR-GAWL-150 Gripper is a wireless digital cable tension meter that changes how aircraft cable tension checks work. Instead of clamping a mechanical dial onto a cable and reading a chart, the CTR-GAWL-150 separates into two units: a compact sensor head that attaches to the cable, and a handheld display that receives real-time tension readings via Bluetooth 4.2 up to 10 meters (33 feet) away. Tension is displayed digitally in pounds or metric units — no calibration chart, no riser selection, no conversion step. Watch the tension value change in real time as you adjust turnbuckles. Read the display from across the fuselage while a colleague positions the sensor. No mechanical tensiometer can do either of those things.
What Actually Changes When You Go Wireless and Digital
Every T5 and T60 series mechanical tensiometer — regardless of model — requires the technician to be at the cable location to observe a dial reading. The CTR-GAWL-150 breaks that constraint. The sensor clips onto the cable; the display goes in your hand; and the Bluetooth link between them transmits live tension data in real time. For anyone who has rigged aircraft cables — making incremental turnbuckle adjustments, walking back to a dial tensiometer, taking a reading, walking back to the turnbuckle, adjusting again — the productivity improvement is immediate and obvious. The display also shows a live temperature reading in selectable °C or °F, eliminating the separate thermometer step that temperature-corrected tension specifications require. Cable size is selected on the display before measurement; accuracy is ±2% of full scale without a chart lookup. The ultra-compact sensor head (105 x 40 x 27mm) is specifically designed to reach restricted cable areas that larger sensor heads cannot fit — a real operational advantage in complex airframes where cable routing takes tension checks into confined spaces.
Built for a Full Day of Maintenance Work
- Bluetooth 4.2 wireless — real-time tension data up to 10 meters; no cable between sensor and display
- 10–150 lb range — covers all five standard cable sizes: 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16"
- ±2% full-scale accuracy — digital readout, no chart conversion, no riser selection
- Live temperature display — selectable °C or °F; eliminates separate thermometer for temperature-corrected tension checks
- Real-time adjustment monitoring — watch tension change as you rig; no mechanical tensiometer can do this
- Ultra-compact sensor head — 105 x 40 x 27mm; fits into restricted cable areas larger sensors cannot reach
- 6061 aluminum + stainless steel — aviation-grade sensor housing built for demanding maintenance environments
- ~4,000 sensor readings per charge; ~10,000 display readings (backlight off); single 5V adapter charges both
- Auto-sleep after 5 minutes idle — preserves sensor battery during long maintenance events
- Factory pre-calibrated — ready for immediate use out of the box
- Padded hard-sided carrying case included
Technical Specifications
- Tension Range: 10 – 150 lbs
- Cable Sizes: 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16"
- Accuracy: ±2% of full scale
- Wireless Technology: Bluetooth 4.2
- Wireless Range: Up to 10 meters (33 ft)
- Display: 160 x 128 dot matrix LCD with selectable backlight
- Display Readings: Tension (lbs or metric), cable size, temperature, battery strength
- Temperature: Selectable °C or °F
- Sensor Housing: 6061 aluminum with stainless steel contact points
- Display Housing: ABS plastic
- Sensor Battery: 500mAh Li-Po rechargeable; ~4,000 readings per charge; sleep after 5 min idle
- Display Battery: Li-Po rechargeable; ~10,000 readings (backlight off); ~3,000 (backlight on)
- Charging: 5VDC / 5V@1A adapter; one adapter charges both units
- Sensor Dimensions: 105 x 40 x 27mm
- Sensor Weight: ~240g (~8.5 oz)
- Display Dimensions: 164 x 80 x 29mm
- Display Weight: ~160g (~5.6 oz)
- Part Number: PN# 1345-001
- Calibration Interval: Annual (12 months)
- Factory Calibration: Yes — pre-calibrated; ready for immediate use
- Included: Display unit, sensor unit, batteries, 5V adapter, user manual, padded hard-sided carrying case
- Predecessor: Replaces CTR-GA-150 (wired Gripper)
- Manufacturer: Sprague Instruments, San Jose, CA
Typical Applications
- Primary and secondary flight control cable tension verification on all aircraft types
- Real-time tension monitoring during turnbuckle adjustment and rigging — watch tension change as you work
- Tight-access cable locations where the compact sensor head size is operationally critical
- Temperature-corrected tension checks where live temperature data eliminates a separate measurement step
- Any operation where moving back and forth between cable location and a mechanical dial is inefficient
- MRO facilities and flight schools upgrading from mechanical T5 or T60 instruments
- General aviation, regional jets, business jets, helicopters, and military aircraft
Sprague CTR-GAWL-150 Calibration
The CTR-GAWL-150 ships factory pre-calibrated and ready for immediate use. Annual recalibration — every 12 months — is the required interval to maintain accuracy and compliance with aviation maintenance standards. In Canada, units that pass initial certification qualify for a 24-month calibration cycle. The CTR-GAWL-150 is designed so that local calibration shops can certify the instrument using the calibration procedure detailed in the user manual, which guides the technician through a multi-point dead weight calibration for each cable size. Pilot John International performs calibration services for the Sprague CTR-GAWL-150 and related Gripper wireless digital tensiometers, ensuring your unit meets the ±2% full-scale accuracy specification and issuing the documentation your maintenance program requires. PJi's ISO 17025-accredited calibration laboratory provides traceable calibration certificates that support FAA-regulated maintenance programs, AS9100 quality management systems, and DOD contract requirements. Learn more about PJi's Calibration Services for the Sprague CTR-GAWL-150 →
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Part # | CTR-GAWL-150 |
| Manufacturer | Sprague Instruments |
| Manual 1 | View Sprague Wireless Gripper Manual (Oct 2024) |
| Shipping Information | |
|---|---|
| Product Weight | 5.1 lbs. |
| Product Dimensions | 14 x 12 x 6 in. |
| Schedule B | 9027908950 |
| ECCN | EAR99 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | ±2% of full scale |
| Cable Sizes | 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16" |
| Calibration Interval | Annual (12 months); factory pre-calibrated |
| Charging | 5VDC / 5V@1A adapter; one adapter charges both units |
| Display | 160 x 128 dot matrix LCD with selectable backlight |
| Display Battery | Li-Po rechargeable; ~10,000 readings (backlight off); ~3,000 (backlight on) |
| Display Dimensions | 164 x 80 x 29mm |
| Display Housing | ABS plastic |
| Display Readings | Tension (lbs or metric), cable size, temperature, battery strength |
| Display Weight | ~160g (~5.6 oz) |
| Factory Calibration | Yes — factory pre-calibrated; ready for immediate use |
| In Box | Display unit, sensor unit, batteries, 5V adapter, user manual, carrying case |
| Part Number | PN# 1345-001 |
| Predecessor | Replaces CTR-GA-150 (wired version) |
| Sensor Battery | 500mAh Li-Po rechargeable; ~4,000 readings per charge |
| Sensor Dimensions | 105 x 40 x 27mm |
| Sensor Housing | 6061 aluminum with stainless steel contact points |
| Sensor Sleep Mode | Auto-sleep after 5 minutes idle |
| Sensor Weight | ~240g (~8.5 oz) |
| Temperature Units | Selectable °C or °F |
| Tension Range | 10 – 150 lbs |
| Wireless Range | Up to 10 meters (33 ft) |
| Wireless Technology | Bluetooth 4.2 |
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AIRCRAFT COMPATIBILITY
This item is for use on all aircraft.
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Using the CTR-GAWL-150 digital cable tension meter is easy and straightforward. Simply turn it on, place the sensor unit on the cable, and read the tension measurement on the display unit.
Yes! With its small head, the CTR-GAWL-150 cable tensiometer is designed to reach tight spaces, making it ideal for measuring cable tension in hard-to-reach areas.
The CTR-GAWL-150 cable tension meter comes with batteries for the display and sensor units and a 5-volt adapter for charging.
The CTR-GAWL-150 cable tensiometer offers an impressive accuracy of ±3% of full scale, ensuring dependable tension measurements. This level of precision is essential for maintaining safety and compliance in aviation and other industries where cable tension specifications are tightly controlled.
The CTR-GAWL-150’s display unit can deliver approximately 10,000 readings on a single charge with the backlight off, or about 3,000 readings with the backlight on. The sensor unit provides around 4,000 readings per charge, making the CTR-GAWL-150 highly efficient for daily operations.
PJi offers calibration services for the CTR-GAWL-150 wireless digital cable tension meter. We ensure your unit is calibrated to meet precise industry standards, helping maintain accuracy, reliability, and compliance with aviation maintenance requirements.
The CTR-GAWL-150 wireless digital cable tension meter should be calibrated once every 12 months to maintain optimal accuracy and compliance with aviation maintenance standards. Each unit comes pre-calibrated from the factory, so it is ready for immediate use upon delivery. Annual calibration ensures the tensiometer continues to provide precise, reliable readings that are critical for proper cable tensioning and overall aircraft safety.
The fundamental difference is the workflow. Mechanical tensiometers like the T5 or T60 require the technician to be physically at the cable to observe a dial reading — on the T5, after converting that reading via a calibration chart. The CTR-GAWL-150 separates the sensor (at the cable) from the display (in the technician's hand) via Bluetooth 4.2, transmitting real-time tension data up to 10 meters away. The technician can watch tension change in real time while adjusting turnbuckles, read the display from a comfortable working position away from the cable, and see a live temperature reading on the same display — none of which is possible with any mechanical tensiometer. There is also no calibration chart conversion and no riser selection required.
The CTR-GAWL-150 supports five standard aircraft control cable sizes: 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", and 3/16". Cable size is selected on the display unit before measurement. The sensor unit then transmits calibrated tension data for the selected cable size directly to the display.
The sensor unit provides approximately 4,000 readings per charge from its 500mAh Li-Po rechargeable battery, with auto-sleep after 5 minutes idle to conserve charge. The display unit provides approximately 10,000 readings per charge with the backlight off, or 3,000 with the backlight on. Both units are charged via the same 5V@1A adapter included in the kit — one adapter charges both simultaneously.
Yes. The display shows a live ambient temperature in selectable °C or °F alongside the tension reading. Aircraft maintenance manuals often specify cable tensions at a reference temperature, with correction factors for ambient temperature at the time of rigging. Having live temperature on the tensiometer display eliminates the need to consult a separate thermometer and cross-reference a correction table — the technician has all the information needed for a temperature-corrected tension check in a single instrument.
Annual calibration — every 12 months — is the required interval in the US. In Canada, units that pass initial certification qualify for a 24-month cycle. The CTR-GAWL-150 is designed to allow local calibration shops to perform certification using the multi-point dead weight procedure in the user manual. Pilot John International's ISO 17025-accredited calibration laboratory performs calibration services for the Sprague CTR-GAWL-150, issuing a fully traceable calibration certificate. Visit pilotjohn.com/calibration to learn more or request service.
Every CTR-GAWL-150 includes: display unit, sensor unit, batteries for both units, 5-volt adapter (charges both units), user manual, and a padded hard-sided carrying case.
