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Reviews For: AR-270 Dual Band Ringo 2m/70cm

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

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Review Summary For : AR-270 Dual Band Ringo 2m/70cm
Reviews: 16MSRP: 95
Description:
http://www.texastowers.com/ar270b.htm
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.cushcraft.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25164.3
N5XJT Rating: 2023-03-28
The 270B is a great antenna! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My AR-270B is 7 ft 7 inches tall, built like a tank, under 1.5 swr on both 2m and 70cm, great reception and transmit plus no weather issues and it is over ten years old. Not to be confused with the shorter 270, the "B" model is simply a great antenna.
W9MT Rating: 2023-03-27
Easy to fix. Works as good as a Tram 1477. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been using Tram products as small, discrete base station antennas for several years. I own both a black and a white Tram 1477 at two different QTH's.

The design of the Trams and the Cushcraft AR-270 are nearly the same. Both have a matching coil and cap's in the base and a stub section midway up the main radiator to allow for about a half-wave on 2m and half-wave over half-wave for the extra gain on 440. The only difference is there are two black covers for these matching section on the AR-270B. These are hidden in the fiberglass tube of the Tram product.

I bought the AR-270 as a "basket case", "problem child" two days ago at an AZ hamfest. The seller said he had two of them that both "died". He was keeping the one he was able to get working. This one he couldn't, so he was selling it cheaply. He only charged me a buck. I didn't haggle at all.

I saw that the base matching assembly's cylindrical cover had stress cracks at its base and was even missing a bit of black plastic from its base circumference.

When I took that apart I didn't see any Wx damage, but I shined up the nickel plated spring steel contact at the top of the matching circuit board, and also bent it up a bit to make better contact with the metal button stud going through the top. (I felt this was why the previous owner couldn't get a match on either band...when the screw on bottom "let loose" after cracking, the contact no longer touched this "metal button".) I then reassembled everything letting the L-bracket and its captivating nut provide the hold-down pressure on the black cover. A copious amount of JB Weld was then mixed up and gooped around 270 degrees of the base for a long term captivation in the outside elements. The blackish-gray color of the JB Weld is also very UV resistant. The particles of steel in the JB Weld provides much more strength than regular quick set epoxy, too, and wasn't shorting out anything that would mess up the antenna's functionality.

A quick test with a simple MFJ-269 revealed that with optimum length adjusting of the vertical radiator I got nearly a 1:1 VSWR at 147.5MHz, rising a bit to 148, and rising to no more than 1.8:1 @ 144MHz. It was no higher than 1.5:1 right near 145MHz where the lowest repeater inputs reside for the US 2m band. Sweet.

At this same setting I had a minimum VSWR in the 70cm band of 1.5:1 right near 440MHz. It rose to 2:1 below 432MHz and to 1.8:1 right at 450MHz. Then, sweeping the MFJ-269 further upward, there was even a better match at 453MHz (1.3:1) rising to 2:1 at 461MHz. (I guess you'd call that a "double-dip", like at Baskin-Robbins' 31 flavors store.)

Trying to optimize the best match on 2m to the middle of the FM band (roughly 146.5MHz) pulled the 70cm best match point below 438MHz with a best VSWR of 1.8:1 with everywhere above and below that higher in VSWR. So I left things the way they were in the previous paragraph.

I should note that this final performance of my "new-used-resurrected" AR-270 is EXACTLY how my 1477B (black) Tram antenna works. My other Tram (white fiberglass) was factory set to resonate best in the middle of 2m and also at about 443MHz. I haven't needed to disassemble either of those, so I won't attempt to account for the differences.

The JB Weld cured nicely and I suspect this AR-270 is ready for another 20 years of use.

A few final points:

When I had the matching unit removed, I used black electrical tape to mummify the somewhat worn and "hairy" fiberglass tube insulator between the AR-270's radiator and mounting base. This would be a good thing to do when your antenna is brand new, prior to its installation. The bigger fiberglass base insulator tubes in R5's, R7's, etc., get worn the same way by UV degradation. Black electrical tape does a marvelous job for UV protection, long term.

One of my AR-270's radials was bent upward. I tried easing it back to perpendicular to the radiator and it promptly snapped off at the threads. Removing the remainder of the threaded stud, 1/4-20 nut and lockwasher, I then pulled out my tap and die set and added a few more threads to the radial. I then threaded it back into its ground referenced mounting base of the antenna, and without its nut and washer. It tightened nicely, not losing any electrical length or contact affecting AR-270 performance. It's also "strong enough" to handle what Mother Nature may toss at the antenna in the future.

I also find it quite interesting that Cushcraft's manual for BOTH the AR-270 and its longer successor, the AR-270B advise to tighten the three radials in so the beginning of each one's threaded part actually "touch" inside the mounting base, and only then tightening down each radial's nut and lockwasher. Firstly, this is not a reliable process, from a strength or RF performance perspective. Just "how much touch" is enough?...and why? Secondly, the crude repair (re-threading of the broken radial) that I did actually DOES electrically well connect this revised radial into the base of the antenna. This is "really enough" electrical and RF contact without having to horse around assuring 3 threaded ends are somehow touching inside of the AR-270's mounting tube.

Cushcraft also refers to this antenna and the later AR-270B as "Ringo" antennas. True Ringo's...for any band, including CB...have a single turn metal ring counterpoise to replace the need for radials at their bottoms. This is a good antenna, but it shouldn't be called a "Ringo". These two have "succeeded" the Ringo style of antennas.

I further agree that the heading of this set of reviews says "AR-270" but the blurry picture at the top really is an "AR-270B" as other reviewers have noted. Perhaps like for the IC-706 series radios, this set of reviews should likewise be re-titled to say "AR-270, 'all flavors'".

In summary, however, I am very happy with the "one dollar" basket case AR-270 I was able to resurrect. It will soon be placed back into service. Enjoy our hobby!!!
AI4WM Rating: 2012-08-12
Very good on VHF could be better across UHF band Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have the AR-270 and not the AR-270B that is shown on the photo. The AR-270 is much shorter and more readily used as a portable for EMCOMM if needed.

Great little antenna. VSWR is flat across the VHF band at 1.2:1 or less while the UHF can be adjusted so it is flat nearest the most used part of the band. For me I set it so the lowest VSWR was mid-band with the VSWR tapering up towards the band ends. Best is about 1.3:1 to 1.5 and 1.7 at the ends. It is still a good performer for my use on UHF.

I originally bought this antenna for my jump kit. It is small enough that it can be transported fully assembled, but needed dual band at the house so this one ended up at the shack end of my house.

This antenna has been a solid performer since I installed it about 3 years ago. Construction is simple and solid.

No problem hitting all the local repeaters as well as others up and down the coast and even across the state.
N2MIG Rating: 2010-05-16
Best value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I will be brief. After 19 YEARS excellent service my AR 270 has finally failed. Its a great antenna and lasted through many a storm withhout any problem. I am purchasing a new one. I only hope it lasts as long. The reason for the failure...a tree struck the antenna when it came down in a wind atorm in March.
KB6HRT Rating: 2010-05-10
AR-270 ***** Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had this antenna for SIX years in the HOT sun and high WINDS here in Arizona and it still work's as well as the day it was installed, I have always got good reports on Symplex or when on a repeater, I have used it with 4 different radios and all have worked well, even the hand held ones................KB6HRT
N4DBM Rating: 2008-12-08
Fine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First, this is for the AR-270, not the 270(B) as what's pictured in the description! The AR-270 is about 3 feet tall and in all reality has 0 dB gain on VHF and about 3 dB gain on UHF. It's a simple dual band antenna, equivalent to something like a Larsen dual band mobile. Don't compare this thing with a Stationmaster or a Hustler G7 !! You're comparing apples and oranges again. This little antenna works fine for what it is. Stick it on top of your house and kerchunk your local repeaters with it.
N9PAR Rating: 2007-03-22
JUNK Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the AR-270 on 03/09/07 from AES in Wisconsin here.I have a reapter 30 miles away that comes in s1 maybe if I'm lucky an s5.I couldn't get the swr down without winding the coax about ten times in a coil.I called AES and they said send it back to Cushcraft.Well they are sending me a new coil I hope that works.I'm pretty dam unhappy with this antenna.I spent my whole sunday messing with it and I only get 1 day off a week!Well this Sunday it's back up to replace the ant with my beam another sunday shot to hell.Save your money man is what I can say.PS I won't shop at AES anymore either they were less then helpful.
F1BZF Rating: 2005-02-13
Good product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
10 years owned. No problem with. Vertical antenna performance. No surprise. But lets see material isolation at base. Worth the price.
N4CUZ Rating: 2003-11-04
I have three of them in service. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am referring to the Cushcraft AR-270, not the AR-270B. I just brought one of the three that I own down after nearly ten (10) years of very nice service for any antenna, let alone an antenna this short. I brought it down to replace the 9913 coax, which, although the antenna still had a 1.1 to 1 SWR, I began to worry about moisture intrusion in the coax.

I have set this antenna on a tripod inside of my ham shack, and now use it for packet communications.

I also have a Workman 5/8ths wave antenna that outperforms the AR-270 by about 2 dB. Cushcraft antennas have become a bit pricey since I bought mine in 1993, but I have no complaints at all.

I especially recommend the AR-270 for apartment dwellers and other folks who need a smaller antenna, and for campers. It really kicks for it's size!
KG4OUX Rating: 2003-06-27
good antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It is a good antenna for a dualband handheld I have also heard when I get wet the SWR goes up I have checked it and it does good for camping use