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Reviews For: Ranger RCI-5054DX-100

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : Ranger RCI-5054DX-100
Reviews: 12MSRP: 349
Description:
Ranger brings you the RCI-5054DX-100. This DX model is patterned after the popular 10 & 12 meter RCI-2970DX. It features a microprocessor control, and is rated at 100W PEP SSB and 50W AM/FM/CW.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.rangerusa.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.8
N8FVJ Rating: 2021-01-29
Reasonable Performer for $ Spent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this radio used on ebay for $220. It is the DX-100 100 watt version. I bought a Par Electronics ON-50 antenna. Temporary put up antenna and it has about a 2 to 1 SWR match. I am moving, so will tune the antenna for a lower SWR match later. The Ranger puts out about 50 watts PEP on SSB. I heard the radio is sensitive to SWR thus cuts back power early with any SWR of 1.5 to 1 or higher.
I made a local contact immediately upon setting up the radio. I consider the radio more like a glorified CB radio vs a true Ham radio. But, it works and on 6 meters the band is not jammed up like 75 meters at night. The radio was discontinued long ago, so only used can be found. It is worth $220 used IMO.
AD7KI Rating: 2020-04-17
Good rig for the money Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
My first contacts ever on 6 meters were with the 25 watt version. It was a borrowed rig and I made many contacts with it while it was in my possession. I had to return the rig to the owner when I moved away, but swore I would have another.

I actually lucked out in June 2019 when I came upon the RCI-5054dx-100. I purchased it on the spot because I hadn't see one in the wild ever before.

My 6 meter world hadn't been put together since my last move, so this "new" rig would be a great reason to get things going. My son and I built a 6 meter squalo before we left our last QTH, and we built a 6 meter J-pole after we arrived here. I have also acquired a 4 element yagi for 6 as well.

I had the radio checked out by a friend that has all the right test equipment. Everything worked great except the blue backlight. It appears to be fractured along the back and will progressively dim as the radio is operated with it on. I decided that I didn't need it that badly as I plan to use it as a base station most of the time.

I hadn't really gotten to make any contacts on it until this week. when 6 opened, I heard voices and tuned in what I heard. Shortly thereafter, I had made a contact with AZ with a 57 report both ways from OK. My son made a few more contacts with it before the band died.

From everything I've seen, the RCI 5054dx-110 is everything its predecessor was as far as performance, and the extra power is nice. The only disappointment is the backlight, and lack of tone board, which I may explore repairing some time in the future.

If you happened to come upon one, and want a solid rig for 6 meters, the RCI-5054dx-100 or the RCI-5054dx are great, intuitive to operate, and solid radios.

73 de AD7KI
KM4LCF Rating: 2016-08-08
Lots of power for a little money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought one of these on eBay a couple months ago to see what it was like on 6 meters. I paid $214 with shipping, and I have to say it was worth it. So far my longest DX QSO has been from 1154 mi. away, and I was impressed as that was only the 2nd day I had it. A tone board would be nice, but for what I do, mostly simplex SSB on voice, it is not extremely necessary.

Pros:
Not too expensive
100W Power

Cons:
No Tone Board
W9RAS Rating: 2015-03-23
RCI 5054DX -100 Buttons upside down and backwards Output low! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Recently purchased an RCI-5054DX-100 on sale from RCI direct for $319.00. Taking it out of the box I find the buttons on front all had the writing on them upside down I laughed about this ! So obvious an error! . Having worked in Heathkit service on Amateur radio equipment I know things just happen ... I contacted Ranger service by email asking what should I do they have never replied to my email request! Trying out the RCI5054DX-100 I had to look at the picture of it on the operating manual to tell what button I was pressing and what it did because the buttons that are on a rubber like strip were installed upside down AND Backwards.The other problem was low output rated at 50 watts my RCI5054DX-100 was putting out a maximum of 25 on CW . After a couple of weeks and realizing Ranger service was not going to communicate about this embarrassing mistake ? Finally looking on the internet for the service manual all I could find was a small blurry schematic diagram. Perhaps Ranger has a service manual ? I did not contact them about a service manual since they had not replied to my email before . So I then took the RCI5054DX-100 apart removed the front panel and found it very easy to turn the button strip right side up and reversed it end to end so the buttons now read their functions properly . Next was the low output . There are two low pass filters in this rig one at the driver output this is actually the final for the lower power version and one more at the output of the added PA stage or power amplifier. These are commonly adjusted at the factory by spreading or compressing the coils using an insulated plastic tool . These low pass filter coils looked so perfect all turns close spaced I said to myself "they forgot to adjust the low pass filters for best match" . I adjusted both using a Bird 43 wattmeter and Bird 500 watt dummy load on the output . Also checking on a Anritsu spectrum analyzer for clean output. I arrived easily at 50 watts out clean on CW just what the Specs say it should be. The only other thing I noticed was the RCI5054DX-100 receiver overloads easily and strong signals were distorted .Turning the RF gain down cured the problem but if you are listening to several stations and some are strong others weak like I do you are continually adjusting the RF gain . So I give this rig a 3 rating for poor quality control , Poor product support and poor communications. I gave it a 3 and not less because AFTER repairing it this is a nice little rig .

73 Bob
KO3D Rating: 2013-05-11
Gets you on 6M Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got one of these on EBay for $160 to get on 6M for Es season and honestly wasn't expecting much. It turned out to be a pretty good rig. I was able to reach everyone I could hear with just a dipole working 7 states in an hour and got good comments on the audio. The internal noise is very low. My only complaint is that it has poor selectivity. If I'd paid full retail it might upset me, but for a cheap entry to 6M I am more than happy.
AC5JV Rating: 2012-08-09
GREAT STAND ALONE RIG Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
HELLO: DE AC5JV I HAVE OWNED THE OLDER VERSION THE 25 WATT RIG FOR YEARS , NOW HAVE IT MOBILE, I RECENTLY BOUGHT THE NEW 100 WATT VERSION , HAVE IT IN THE HOUSE FOR BASE OPERATIONS , I PUT A SHURE 526T AMP DESK MIC ON IT , HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IMPROVES THE AUDIO QUALITY %100 , BUT THE STOCK MIC WAS VERY GOOD ALSO .FOR A STAND ALONE RIG I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT WHAT SO EVER .NOW CAN MONITOR 6M ALL THE TIME. HARD TO DO WITH THE OTHER HF+6 RIGS,ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO ALOT OF HF WORK.YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN 6M OPENS UP .
KE0VH Rating: 2011-12-14
Really great radio! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I am very pleased with my Ranger RCI-5054 DX-100. It worked virtually everything I could hear during this years VHF contest and just general operating. I have a 3 element homebrew beam at KE0VH, and the radio's only downer that I have seen is there is no filtering of strong adjacent signals. The step tuning works well, just slightly cumbersome but is relatively easy to get used to. I am really impressed with the company and ordered directly from Ranger-USA. The packaging was great and the radio was ready to power up and go. I am planning on taking the radio up a 14000 foot peak here in Colorado and operating lower power (fully adjustable) on a battery next summer. The rig I obtained came with a white on blue display, which really looks great! You can see a picture of my Ranger in my shack on the left hand side rack at www.qsl.net/ke0vh.
I highly recommend this radio in its current version to anyone interested in a 100 stand alone rig for mobile OR base with a 20 amp power supply.
N5PLV Rating: 2009-02-02
Modified CB Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought mine used and its had its share of problems after the warranty date expired. The backlighting goes out due to a faulty inverter. The backlighting design is poor overall. There is no support from Ranger as far as ordering parts. I heard that the parts division was sold to a third party. Good luck finding some!

The construction of this radio is horrible. Inside it looks like CB radio technology from the 1970's. I put it on an IFR service monitor and checked it out. It meets specs as far as receive sensitivity and RF power output, but boy you should see the signal on the spectrum analyzer! Really dirty transmitter! The warranty seal was NOT broken when I bought it, so nobody has been inside to cause this. It doesn’t have a CTCSS board. I think it holds a whole 10 whopping memories! Do yourself a favor if you're considering one of these. Just add $50 to the new price and find a used Icom 706 original and get all 100 watts on all the HF+6m bands including 10 watts on 2m. This is nothing but a modified export CB radio made to cover 6m. Even includes a Roger beep!
KC0LOE Rating: 2008-10-10
Good 6-meter Budget Radio. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After listening to a lot of the local operators talk about 6-meters, I thought I would give it a whirl. After researching for a couple of months ,and reading reviews on many different 6-meter radios. I chose the ranger due to the cost and experience of a couple of local guys that use em.

At first glance, the radio looked like a export CB radio to me. I was thinking that it wasn't going to work worth a hoot After hooking it up, I made several contacts that said the audio was good and the signal was nice and strong.

There are only two things that I think Ranger could do to make the radio better. First of all, they can dump the roger beep since there is really no need for it. The second thing would be to include a tone board. One is available from Ranger, but you have to manually change the tones on the board via dip-switches.

Other than that It is a good performer for the cost.
N2BR Rating: 2006-12-17
RCI 5054DX-100 Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I got my Ranger in April 2006 and was suprise at the receive it has,Have work many contacts with a 6 meter loop antenna at 15 feet high.Great little radio.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RCI5054DX/