[50mhz] 50 Mhz antennas

[Wayne]

 The problem with the ringo series is that the SO239 is exposed on the
matching side.
 I put some silicone sealer on the one I had, so the match was fair in all
kinds of weather.
 But did not hold up in the long run...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Deyo" <n1pd@bellsouth.net>
To: <50mhz@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 5:36 PM
Subject: Re: [50mhz] 50 Mhz antennas


> Cushcraft bashing....... Well, I had a 2 meter ringo about 20 years ago
that
> wasn't much.  In dry weather it was fine, in the rain the swr went sky
high.
> In an ice storm it was useless.  One the other hand, I purchased an R8
> vertical last year at the Charlotte hamfest and have been very satisfied
> with it.  Instructions were good, went together very well (was fun to put
> the 10 million parts together!), operates very well on 6 meters and all
> other bands for a vertical.  The only complaint is hoisting the mother
into
> the vertical position, it was like balancing a heavy weight on the end of
a
> long and weak piece of fiberglass.  Any little movement at the bottom
caused
> it to wobble in the middle.  Once bolted down it has done fine and
withstood
> some pretty hefty thunderstorms here in the south.  I don't relish taking
it
> down the change the center frequencies.
> Paul
>
> > Cush Craft...
> >  I have only had a long term experience with their 11 meter Ringo
antenna.
> >  It did not stand up to Rochester NY weather.
> >  The antenna connector (SO239 type) became unusable after a few years,
and
> > the antenna would no longer match properly.
> >  I found that it developed a leakage path across the insulator.
> >  I don't recall if the beam I had was CC or otherwise.
> >
> >  Most of the manufacturers tended to give gain ratings over isotropic,
and
> > that source was never identified (dummy load? 1/4 wave ground plane?)
> >  I trust the rating over 1/2 wave dipole a bit more.
> >
> >  Wayne WA2YNE
> >  CM97no
>