Yaesu ATAS 100a

[K5CKE]

 
I just finished a 2000 mile trip using my Yaesu ATAS 100a.  Without a variation, I got 59 reports from Arkansas to northern Minnesota.  But the great thing is this:  My son was driving my car and I forgot to take the antenna down.  We drove into a parking ramp and THWACK the antenna hit the ceiling.   I took it off then.  When I got back to the hotel, I put it back, straightened out the whip, and made a call.  Still 59 report from Florida.   I am impressed.

[N6AJR]

I have an atas 100 and a atas 120.  I use the 120 on my car, a dodge intrepis.  I have had good results with it , for its size it does well, and when hooked on a ft 857 or other yaesu radio that supports it, it is auto tune from 440 mhz to 40 meters.

I know it is not the best screwdriver antenna out there, but in my case it i the best  compromise.  I am  disabled and getting in and out of the caris hard for me, so the atas 120 fits in the garage.  I don't have to get out to lower it.  That works for me. 

I have an DK-3 on the truck and it works fine from 6 meters to 80 meters and stronger signals than the atas, but it parks outside, so no need to have a short antenna.  If I want to work some serious radio, I use the radio in the house with the amp and some serious large  tower mounted antennas.   so yes the ATAS is a good compromise for its  size.  It does like a good grouns on the shield side.

[WX7G]

I have an ATAS-120 mounted on the roof of my car and like it. With this mounting arrangement the radiation efficiency is 10% on 40 meters and much better on the higher bands. It's like having a tunable Hamstick. Not the most efficient antenna but very convenient when used with the FT-857.

[K0BG]

There is no way an ATAS will have 10% efficiency on 40 meters. It is hardly that on 20 meters!

[KJ4ADN]

There is no way an ATAS will have 10% efficiency on 40 meters. It is hardly that on 20 meters!

Agreed!  I've heard lots of HAMS rave about their "perfect match" screw driver antennas... yet, they can't seem to hear much of anything.  Same goes for base loaded, ham sticks and these super-duper compact mobile antennas.  My personal experience on a barefoot mobile is center loaded, center mount, thru-the-roof.  Install a quick disconnect if you need to, and run it through an insulated cross-rail for added support, if you need to.

As far as the wife....    a nurse huh...?   could probably do surgery in the dark - while you're sleeping... careful.
On the other-hand, she needs to get her "ticket" and into the hobby.   That's the game-changer.
This week.... I'm drilling 2 holes through the roof on a brand new 2011 Subaru Forester, KJ4ADQ is wondering what's taking so long!   Life is good when you share the same hobby.

Using NMO for the UHF/VHF antennas, a 90 degree 3/8" stud (insulated washer) for the HF antennas (quick disconnect, home brew, center loaded whips)

KJ4ADN - Bill