A ringo ranger is a vertical half wave using "end feed" and they work
great. I prefer end feeding, using hte method of the ringo (which is
easy to scale to other bands). I purchased the 10 meter version some
years back and built ones for all bands to 20 meters by scaling the
end-feed arrangement.
When we end-feed a vertical like that, without radials, the system can have
as much radiating current on the mast and feedline as the vertical itself
has. This can do all sorts of things to the pattern and gain, because the
feedline and mast become a major part of the actual antenna.
There is a basic electrical rule that cannot be broken. In order to force
current up into the vertical at the feedpoint, an EQUAL current has to flow
back down into the coax shield, the mast, radials, or something else.
We are kidding ourselves if we look at an end-fed antenna without a ground
system and proper feed isolation and assume only the vertical is the
radiator.
This is why, later in the Ringo's life, Cushcraft added a kit that added
radials to the Ringo.
73 Tom
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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