[TowerTalk] Ringo AR2 Problems

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

 >> Again, if the coil is not connected at the bottom, the antenna will
 >> *never* resonate ... more likely it will be "resonant" somewhere
 >> around 54.5 MHz *as a 1/4 wave vertical* or 160 MHz as a 3/4 wave
 >> vertical depending on the behavior of the feedline shield.

One correction here ... the basic AR-2 will resonate as a 1/4 or 3/4
wave vertical.  The ARX-2 (with the added stub and 1/2 wave) will not
show any well defined resonance other than as a loaded 15 or 17 meter
1/4 wave *unless* the "coil" is attached.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 3/11/2013 10:29 PM, Kipton Moravec wrote:
> Thanks. I will watch for that when I put it back together.
>
> Kip
>
>
> On Mon, 2013-03-11 at 19:36 -0400, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>>> There is no short from center to ground. I get contact from the center
>>   > pin of the PL-259 to the tip of the antenna.
>>
>> Are you saying there is no DC connection between the center pin of the
>> coax connector and *ground*?   The "ring" (a single turn coil) should
>> have connections to both the vertical (whip) and the ground (shell of
>> the UHF connector).  If there is no connection from the shell of the
>> coax (via the bracket) to the bottom of the coil, the antenna will not
>> be tuned properly since the coil actually *resonates* the antenna.
>>
>> The basic Ringo (AR-2) is slightly longer than 5/8 wave - the single
>> turn coil resonates the antenna and the tap is adjusted for a 50 Ohm
>> match.  The ARX-2 stacks a 1/2 wave vertical on top of the 5/8 wave
>> antenna and the "stub" between the two provides a 180 degree phase
>> shift so the two elements radiate in phase for added gain.
>>
>> Again, if the coil is not connected at the bottom, the antenna will
>> *never* resonate ... more likely it will be "resonant" somewhere
>> around 54.5 MHz *as a 1/4 wave vertical* or 160 MHz as a 3/4 wave
>> vertical depending on the behavior of the feedline shield.
>>
>> Couple a grid dip meter to the ring and see if/where you get a dip.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>>      ... Joe, W4TV
>>
>>
>> On 3/11/2013 6:59 PM, Kipton Moravec wrote:
>>> I am testing the antenna on the ground held on a fiberglass pole about 8
>>> feet long, so the base is about 8 feet off of the ground and I am
>>> holding it up and standing under it.
>>>
>>> We have a 15 foot piece of RG8X attached to it. There are no other
>>> things in the path.
>>>
>>> That goes directly to an antenna analyzer that makes a graph of SWR. For
>>> +/- 50 MHZ centered at 146 MHz we get a straight line 10:1 SWR.
>>>
>>> We moved the tap a couple of times with no changes.
>>>
>>> It seems like there are no glued parts that could be assembled wrong.
>>> There is no short from center to ground. I get contact from the center
>>> pin of the PL-259 to the tip of the antenna.
>>>
>>> I have completely disassembled the antenna, and am using emery cloth on
>>> all the places metal meets metal. I am wondering what else I should do
>>> before I reassemble since I got it apart.
>>>
>>> Kip
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, 2013-03-10 at 20:34 -0400, w4lde wrote:
>>>> Kip,
>>>>
>>>> Where are you reading the SWR from?  at the antenna or back in the
>>>> shack?  Three is no LP, HP filters, lighting protection devices in feed
>>>> line is there?  If so did you eliminate them?.
>>>>
>>>> What happens after you move the tap point on the ring, SWR change?
>>>> Anymore info on how you are testing the SWR would help us.
>>>>
>>>> 73 de
>>>> Ron W4LDE
>>>>
>>>> On 3/10/2013 8:19 PM, Kipton Moravec wrote:
>>>>> I was given a used Ringo ARX2B antenna.
>>>>>
>>>>> I checked out the manual and set the three measurements to 145 MHz. When
>>>>> I tried to tune it, the SWR was 10:1 +/- 50 MHz around 146 Mhz.
>>>>>
>>>>> The piece of coax looked weathered and I checked it out and it was fine
>>>>> with the Ohm Meter and did not seem to change SWR or Ohms when I flexed
>>>>> it. But I replaced it anyway.
>>>>>
>>>>> Found their was no contact through the hair pin to the upper section
>>>>> from the Ohm meter. So I replaced the screws and got a good connection
>>>>> according to Ohm Meter.
>>>>>
>>>>> I checked the connections from the end of the coax to all the points on
>>>>> the antenna, and it worked as expected with the Ohm Meter. No unexpected
>>>>> opens or shorts.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I tried the analyzer, I still had a 10:1 SWR for +/- 50 MHz around
>>>>> 146 MHz.
>>>>>
>>>>> So now I have disassembled everything and an using emery cloth on all
>>>>> the connections and replacing all steel nuts and bolts with stainless,
>>>>> and replacing the brass nuts.
>>>>>
>>>>> What else should I look at before I reassemble?
>>>>>
>>>>> I really do not understand how I could have such a bad SWR unless I had
>>>>> an open or a short -- which I proved I did not have before I
>>>>> disassembled. I am not sure what else to look for.
>>>>>
>>>>> The manual is here:
>>>>> http://www.radiomanual.info/schemi/ACC_antenna/Cushcraft_ARX2B_user.pdf
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Kip
>>>>> AE5IB
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> TowerTalk mailing list
>>>>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>>>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>>>>
>>>>
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