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1-8 of 8 messages
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Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by N9LEA on November 1, 2009
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I've had a Ringo Ranger ARX-2B sitting around in the basement for a number of years. It worked well when I took it down from an old house.
I put it up on the roof the other day, mostly for use as a scanner antenna on VHF, and it barely performs better than a rubber ducky.
There's new feedline to it - it and the various connections appear good and check out just fine with an ohmmeter.
Here's the question: When I measure the resistance across the feedline with the antenna connected, I get 1 ohm, which is basically a short. Is this normal? I wouldn't expect so. If not, is there a particular place on this antenna (like that coil or somewhere) that I should be checking out? I do plan to check that coax stub once I get up on the roof again.
Thanks!
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by W5CPT on November 2, 2009
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I am not sure why the ARX-2B is performing poorly, but to the question of reading 0 ohms, that would be correct. The AR series uses a tuning ring and rod at the base of the antenna. One end of the tuning ring is attached to the base putting it at DC ground while the other is attached to the main element of the antenna. If the antenna is properly tuned to the 2M band and you are trying to use it to receive out of that band that would explain the poor performance.
Cushcraft is now part of MFJ but the manuals are not online there yet. However, Google being your friend found the old owners (Laird) have not taken down their page with it. Below is the link (Hurry - I am sure it will disappear soon).
http://lairdtech.thomasnet.com/Asset/ARX2B.pdf
Clint - W5CPT
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by AA4PB on November 2, 2009
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The frequency issue is a good point. That antenna is pretty narrow band and if you have it tuned for the 2M ham band and are trying to receive commerical freqs up aroung 150MHz that would explain its poor performance.
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by WX9DX on November 2, 2009
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Yes the Ringo antenna does show a DC short to ground, but is an RF open. This reading of 1 ohm disturbs me, as I would think you would show a little more than that because of the coaxial cable length and the connection resistances. Disconnect the antenna and try checking the cable for a short near your radio, that is where a 1 ohm reading would be most of the time. I have a long run of about 250 feet to the antenna and I can tell you I don't get one ohm as a reading even with the 3/4-inch cable. There is that much sometimes when you short out the test lead wires! :)
Also the Ringo should be coated with No-Ox paste at all the screw points. Reason is because that antenna has been known to be a pain in the behind, because of intermittent problems, corrosion at the screws etc. The ones in the hairpin for sure are a pain to figure out, unless you take the antenna down and clean them. It will show no swr even with the top of the antenna not working, because of the hairpin being dirty on it's connections. They just use two small screws to hold the hairpin, and cause a connection at the same time.
Try taking off the coaxial cable and ohm it out first!
Jimmy,:)
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by K9KJM on November 2, 2009
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I agree with the previous posts.
The Cushcraft "Ringo" antennas are super simple, When I have run into such problems I have just removed the upper part of the antenna and "converted" a "Ringo Ranger" in to a plain jane "Ringo" (Small about 3 feet long antenna) Just look up the tuning specs for a two meter Ringo and doing that will solve the problems with the upper part- You will be tossing the upper part into the trash bin, Or better, In to Your spare antenna parts bin.
While the plain Ringo IS a very narrow band antenna for low transmit VSWR, They do seem to work well over a wide frequency range for receive, At least after you remove the "Ranger" part anyhow.
As mentioned, Because of the tuning ring, They should show a dead short with an ohm meter.
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by N9LEA on November 3, 2009
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I was up on the roof last night. I had only limited time due to that darn daylight savings time. :)
At any rate, I was able to confirm that the feedline is not shorted and that it reads 0 ohms across the bottom of the coax stub. I was not able to pull the coax stub to see whether it was shorted because I am not tall enough to do it without tipping the mast and I just didn't have time.
That will be my next step.
I think I am going to pull the works down, replace it with a Radio Shack 20-176 ground plane antenna for the winter, and work on the Ringo Ranger in the warm house until spring.
Does anyone have any thoughts, assuming the coax stub is fine, about using the radial ring of the Ringo Ranger with the RS ground plane antenna? Would the radials help or hurt?
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by WB6BYU on November 3, 2009
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N9LEA wrote:
> Does anyone have any thoughts, assuming the coax stub is fine, about using the radial ring of the Ringo Ranger with the RS ground plane antenna? Would the radials help or hurt?
When you say "coax stub", do you mean the feedline to the
antenna? If so, then, yes, you should be able to use it
on either antenna.
The ring of the Ringo is NOT a "radial ring", and certainly
has nothing to do with ground radials. It is a parallel
tuned circuit to match a high impedance end-fed half wave
antenna.
Oh, but perhaps you have one of the newer models with the
decoupling stub and a set of radials a half wave below
the feedpoint that they added after AEA introduced
their IsoPole and measured the vertical radiation
pattern... in that case, you could use it with the
ground plane: it doesn't actually act as an antenna,
it just helps to reduce the common mode current on the
feedline that can distort the radiation pattern.
Whether it makes any difference or not depends on
whether that is a problem with the ground plane, as
well as on mechanical factors (like where it is easiest
to dismount the Ringo.) Personally I probably wouldn't
bother with it, because if there is a problem with it
you'll be better off having it down in the warm house.
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RE: Ringo Ranger ARX-2B Antenna Problem
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by WA1RNE on November 7, 2009
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I've used one of these antennas for over 25 years and they need maintenance just like any other antenna.
The first thing to do is check for a feedline or connector short. Disconnect the feedline at the antenna and run the check again with your ohmmeter.
After being in the weather for a while the tap and slider on the tuning ring become oxidized, as do other areas, i.e. where the "ring" connects the the base of the antenna, at the ground end and where the tap makes contact with the center pin of the UHF connector.
Clean these up with a brass wire brush and add some Penetrox or other compound between the clamping points. While you're at it, mark the tubing positions with a marker, take them apart and clean them up as well.
With a *working* ARX-2B tuned to 2 meters you will have no problem listening to VHF Hi-band in the 148-162 Mhz range. With my antenna tuned to 2 meters and currently mounted in my garage attic, I can hear local public service communications including fire ground radios as well as a fire department over 20 miles away in Newton, NH.
That type of performance isn't typical with a rubber duck unless the station is close by or your location has considerable elevation.
...WA1RNE
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