  We present the results of an ASCA observation of the radio-loud NLS1 galaxy
RGB J0044+193. The X-ray data are complemented by radio observations and a new
optical spectrum for this source. We find evidence for variable radio emission
and an inverted radio spectrum. The optical continuum turned out to be
extremely blue. This may either indicate additional line emission, for example
from Fe I, or scattering of a blue intrinsic continuum. The X-ray spectrum
shows a clear break around 1.8 keV. Above this energy the spectrum is
characterized by a power law with a photon index of 2.1. For energies below 2
keV the spectrum can either be modeled with a steeper power law (2.7) or a
blackbody component with a temperature around 0.2 keV. The X-ray count rate of
the source decreased by a factor of two within one day and there is evidence
for low amplitude variability on much shorter time scales. Given its average
2-10 keV X-ray luminosity of 1.35e+44 erg/s, RGB J0044+193 is significantly
more variable than a typical broad line Seyfert 1 galaxy of comparable X-ray
luminosity, but consistent with the bulk of NLS1 galaxies. The spectral as well
as the variability properties of RGB J0044+193 are indistinguishable from those
of radio-quiet NLS1s. In particular, we find no evidence for a flat X-ray
component due to inverse Compton emission related to the putative non-thermal
radio emission from RGB J0044+193. We argue, however, that this does not rule
out a pole-on orientation for RGB J0044+193.
