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Reviews For: Cushcraft Ringo AR-2

Category: Antennas: VHF/UHF+ Omnidirectional: verticals, mobile, etc

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Review Summary For : Cushcraft Ringo AR-2
Reviews: 22MSRP: unknown
Description:
3db Gain Two Meter Ground Plane
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraft.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15224.2
N4MJG Rating: 2023-01-14
Still going strong since 2001 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
AS OF JAN 2023 UPDATED

SINCE I BROUGHT THIS ANTENNA IT HAS NEVER GAVE ANY PROBLEM EVEN MY SWR IS STILL GOOD 1.0 I CAN HIT REPEATER VERY WELL AT 25 FT OR SO I'M VERY HAPPY WITH MINE ANTENNA

73
Jackie
N4MJG

This antenna is still going strong ever since 2001 atfer i pass my tech, I never have any problem with my atenna.

This is best antenna and money ! the ringo will stay there many years to come !

73
Jackie
N4MJG
Been Hamming Since 2001
AA4AJ Rating: 2013-07-23
Works Just Fine Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my second AR-2. I moved from my former QTH and left the first one installed in the attic. This AR-2 is about 25 years newer than the one I moved away from but it works as well and looks very little changed. Be sure you know that todays AR-2 is a kit. Most parts fit but not all. Some bending and shaping to make the thing to together is absolutely necessary. Go easy - its aluminum. After that and without a SWR analyzer, it is touch and go but, not complex and very effective. My SWR is 1.2 to 1 across all of 2 meters. I am as pleased with this one as I was the first.
W4ODY Rating: 2011-08-18
Excellent 2 mtr antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I owned the original Ringo Ranger for 30 years and never did a thing to it as far as upkeep. It worked great and accessed repeaters as far away as 60 miles. Suddenly the antenna wouldn't load and I diagnosised that the antenna's female coax connector was bad. So, I bought a new one, the AR-2.

It seems to be workin fine, accessing the same repeaters as before. However, my initial SWR was 3.0, with 50 ft of 215 coax. Through reading the eham reviews and trial and error, I discovered that I had to lengthen each of the top two sections approximated 3" beyond the setting listed in the instructions (other reviewers have suggested the same). This lowered the SWR to 1:1.25, which is very acceptable to me.
N5ZTPN5ZTP Rating: 2009-05-11
good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i have owned several of these antennas and the only one that did not work was one that was put together wrong, that i bought used for $3. i now have one mounted on a 4 ft mast, standing in the corner of a bedroom. i do simplex 40 miles away with 20 watts. And i have run all types of omnis and beams that were better and some worse, I judge an antenna on whether it works or not, and this one works.
K9FON Rating: 2008-11-30
Great!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Although i dont own on e of these i know several hams and buisnesses that use them and the antenna WORKS!
I used to work for a company that installed a AR-2 in 1978 and 30 years later it was still up and still worked. It is build to last and perform a yeomans duty. I have heard some guys say the antenna is not any good, but i dont think they read the directions when they installed it. The tuning ring on the bottom has to be installed just right or it will not tune well.
GM6TVR Rating: 2008-11-30
Just the job.............. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having had all the big hf and vhf vertical and beam antennas installed here in South West Scotland, none of which survived the high winds we get from time to time, I decided to buy and install the AR2. I am absolutely delighted with this one, and it is performing better than I ever expected it to. My Diamond X510, 17ele Tonna and 4ele SteppIR were either damaged or completely destroyed over the last two years, two Prosistel rotators also met their death during this period. Looks like my new AR2 will last as long as the mast is standing, and the performance is very good from such a small antenna. Also installed a new 17 ele Cushcraft 2mtr beam and Optibeam hf beam recently, should be able to save some time and money with the new hardware up and running. Please note that wind survival figures quoted by some antenna manufacturers mean nothing.

Good luck, John www.johnblack.org
KI4HAD Rating: 2008-07-23
great budget antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I gave this antenna a 5 not because it's a great performer but because it does what it's suppose to for a very resonable price. Also, it's built like a brick s**t house. This is important for those of us living in coastal areas where high winds and salt air are a fact of life. Now as for the performance, I run 35 watts max and can work all local repeaters. I can even do DX. I live in Ft. Myers, Fl. and have worked Melbourne Fl. on only 5 watts. Of course this was when conditions were right. Pretty good for a dummy load eh? My system is the AR2, a Yaesu VX-170, an MFJ-921, and a Mirage B34G.
KE4ZHN Rating: 2008-05-02
Very sturdy Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ive had one of these for just over 12 years now. This little antenna is no world beater as far as performance goes, but it does work well enough for general purpose FM work. Its solid when it comes to standing up to the weather. Mine has survived 3 hurricanes and its still in operation. For the price how can you go wrong? Sure, there are higher gain 2 mtr. verticals available, but I dont know of a single one that will take years of nasty weather (let alone hurricanes!) and still perform like the first day you put it up. This little guy is the "energizer bunny" of antennas.
N4ASX Rating: 2008-05-02
Great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been active on VHF for 30 years and I started with the Ringo 2 meter as it fit the balcony of my apartment and I could hang a plant basket on it and get around the antenna rules. I have Ringos for ARES use even though I've got multiband antennas on the tower. About every few years it's a good idea to take it down and clean the contacts, but it's very well made, easy to use and provides some gain over the quaterwave. For the guy who says no gain over the standard dipole, I beg to differ. The antenna is an end fed half wave and the other half is the ground system. I have a 6 meter Ringo up lower then my Diamond V-2000A and while the ring is 20 feet lower, it outperforms the quarterwave antenna.
KC4FWC Rating: 2007-03-18
Fine for what it is... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The basic "Ringo" is just a 1/2 wave end fed antenna. That's it - do not expect any more from this! It does not have 3.75 dB gain over a 1/2 wave - it IS a half wave! If you want more, buy a G6 or an Isopole.. If you want even more, buy a Stationmaster or a DB-224.

The Ringo has two major problems, one being no ground radials which means the coax will radiate and give an unpredictable pattern. Make about 3 loops approx 6 inches in diameter when installing to force an RF choke. Second, water runs down the stud which bolts onto the tuning rod. Use hot glue or silicone over the threads to keep water from migrating into the coax.

I give this a "4" because for what it is, it does what it's supposed to do. Period.

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Earlier 2-star review posted by KC4FWC on 2002-01-02

Needs help - the feedline radiates like crazy due to the no ground radials. The ARX-2B antenna with additional length and ground radials make for a much cleaner pattern! a 1/4 wave ground plane will probably work better. I'm not downing Cushcraft because they make nice stuff, but the original "Ringo" design needs to be retired.