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Reviews For: Cushcraft ARX2B Ringo Ranger II

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

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Review Summary For : Cushcraft ARX2B Ringo Ranger II
Reviews: 28MSRP: 59.95
Description:
14 foot, 1000 watt, 135-160 MHz vertical antenna featuring three 5/8 wave radiating elements and an adjustable 1/8 wave phasing stub
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraft.com/amateur/details.asp?catid=76
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00284
KM4BS Rating: 2018-12-03
Need to be mechanically inclined Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Holes don't line up for assembly, had to redrill. If I was a beginner I would have sent it back. Took way too much effort to assemble a little antenna. Poorly built.
N0SQ Rating: 2017-03-31
materials used Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It seems to work OK but I found that I had to spend a lot of time to get the SWR down. Also, I didn't like the use of aluminum because it turned out to be fragile. I ended up replacing the radials with steel all-thread rods because 2 of the aluminum rods were easily broken. I broke the aluminum base of the antenna, also, but it was repairable by using hose clamps. The antenna should have been made with stainless or galvanized steel for a sturdier product.
KB5LYR Rating: 2016-04-27
Excellent Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using my current ARX2B Ringo Ranger2 for 12 years now. It is installed on a 30ft push-up pole mounted on a custom built tilt over base. I've had no issues with this antenna at all but keep in mind I lower the antenna down every Spring before storm season and check everything out. The antenna has been through high winds, ice storms, and over 100 degree temps. I have this antenna tuned flat, at 144.75 at 150 watts. I actually have several of these antennas brand new in storage. For my location,(Central Oklahoma), and application, this antenna is simply a solid proven performer and I hope it remains on the market.
W5UXJ Rating: 2013-10-01
Updated Review - Replace the Cheap Connectors Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The antenna has a ground plane radial kit that includes about 3 ft. of coax. The connectors on each end of this piece of coax are crimped on and the stranded center conductor isn't soldered. This means the connectors are easily pulled loose. Over time, the zip ties and tape I used to support the coax from the shack shifted. This put strain on the factory piece of coax and the top connector pulled loose.

The moral of the story? Always replace the crappy crimped connectors with soldered ones before the antenna goes in the air. It'll save you a lot of trouble later.

Other than this bit of inconvenience, I'm well pleased with the performance of the antenna. I'll knock off one star and still give it a 4 because it really is a good antenna.
KE5IKC Rating: 2012-11-24
Works and keeps working Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
A CB friend gave me a beat-up, modified(he was using for 11 meter) Ringo. I put it back together and added the missing top piece. I mounted it on a 5' piece of 2x2 and tuned it to < 1.2 in about 3 minutes. I raised it to 35' on a piece of cyclone fence tube with a 6' section of pvc on top. SWR didn't change and it's been there for several months, through Hurricane Issac and several windstorms with no change or damage. I hit all the neighborhood repeaters with my 2 watt HT with slightly better reports than my Slim Jim at the same height.
VE7KNQ Rating: 2012-08-07
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned the ARX2B for years. It's an excellent 2 meter antenna. All the parts were in the box, the manual was complete and it was very easy to assemble and tune. I've worked repeaters over 100 miles away with the antenna at 20 feet. It has withstood ice storms, heavy snow, tempuratures over 100' F, high winds and everything else nature threw at it. If you're looking for a dependable and durable 2m antenna don't hesitate to give this one a try.
K6AKF Rating: 2010-11-24
Manual & Dimensions Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently recieved a new ARX-2B and had a hard time with the dimensions stated in the manual. The manual that came in the box didn't have the instructions, dimension chart, or the parts list. I had to go online to get the full manual.

After assembling it (all the parts were there), I was trying to get the SWR down to 146.000, no luck with the dimensins stated in the manual, it was well 3.00 it would not come down at all by moving the tuning rod over the tuning ring. I finally got it to come in by lengthening the top 3/38th tubing section (EE) a little bit at a time to 53 1/2 in. The manual says 50 1/8. I also loosened the tuning ring and the tuning rod so they could moved freely. That worked and brought down the SWR 1:2. I tightned tuning rod in to the tuning ring, and the ring to the base section. SWR remained at 1:2.

I'm not using the radial ring assembly. Here is what CC says about the RRA:

It is a phase shift network which aligns the far field pattern for maximum gain. The radials and HH give the antenna more effective radiating area, for more gain. The radials reflect energy which would normally beam into the ground, back up into the main pattern.

All in all a good antenna. I like the older ones better

Stephen
W6AKF

W8COP Rating: 2010-10-14
Works Great !!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a used Ringo for $15..I now get into repeaters 60 miles away,that I could not reach before with a 5/8 wave groundplane.The radials are a little flimsy,but overall I am happy with it.It also came with 50 ft of RG 213 !!!!
VE9GC Rating: 2009-11-22
A long term Review Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I just took the ARX2B down today (22 Nov 2009) as I needed to replace it with a dual band antenna. It will likely go back up again once I procure another location to mount it to and some additional coax.

Well that doesn't sound like a 5/5 situation, until you realize that this antenna has been in the air at a couple of different QTH since I purchased it new in 1979. So here we are 30 years later and it is still going strong. For the last 28 years it has survived everything that Atlantic Canadian winters could throw at it. No it did suffer a couple of slight bends near the top and the lower tubing joint has been reinforced, but if you compare the purchase price to the number of years service (to date) that is one heck of a good return on investment.

As for the on the air performance no complaints there either.

Gordon
VE9GC
M1DDD Rating: 2009-10-02
Good so far - some minor installation gripes Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I live at 1500 feet in Central UK with wind, rain, snow and good VHF range. I wanted a 2m omni able to take 400W. The fibreglass encapsulated alternatives generally go to 150/200W and over time suffer fatigue and intenal element corrosion...I have used W-300, dia X510, Dia X700, copy of X510 - I would say that the Dia X510 was good allrounder, however X700 was best for TRX but the whippiness in the wind finally fatigued it to death. Plus 150W or more is temting fate in blowing the caps in the 2hite stick type antennas.
Last weekend up up ARX2B --- packaging smaller and lighter than expected ! - YES you have to supply your own 1.25" x 5-6' "mast" which is lower part of the antenna...hmm not explained in the advert and a bit misleading for sure. Then there were a couple of correct sized screws missing (okay we all have a fishing tackle box with nuts n bolts but imagine if I was on vacation without spares?). Main gripe is the radial ring where even with care I managed get a stainless nut lodged on the threads and jammed...1 x broken end on radial. It was still re-useable though
All now up. Plenty of coax seal on joints plus the silicon grease as supplied/recommended. Set lengths to 145.5Megs, tightened up feed pint "shorting bar" at "mid point" and SWR1.15:1. Bandwidth is "wide" so no further adjustments.
In the wind it looks strong. Decent wall thickness tubing used.
On the air on F3E 350W from TE systems solid state amp SWR fine. First used during very high pressure weather so made dozens of contacts over 200 miles. Even as the pressure drops this week I am contacting stuff as good as on the large Diamonds. Perhaps a couple of the medium range repeaters are 50dB/9 rather than 60dB/9 vs X700.
So far so good. Will report back after the Winter. Giving it a 4/5 cos of screw missing, the "binding" of a SS nut on alloy radial and need to supply own 1.25" mast as part of antenna (extra $10-$15 and not that readily available in every small town). This mast incidentally is then clamped to a 2" scaffold pole using "spare" clamps taken off the old Diamonds...always keep old hardware !
Cheers for now NICK
LISTEN for KP2/M1DDD 14-20 October 2009 80m thru 6m