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Reviews For: Yaesu ATAS-100

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Yaesu ATAS-100
Reviews: 68MSRP: 325.00
Description:
Motorized Mobile Screwdriver Antenna 40M-70cm
Product is in production
More Info:
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00684.1
K7SU Rating: 2017-08-28
Amazed at where I can talk Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this antenna used from another ham. I've used it off and on now with both an FT-100 and the new FT-897. As long as I install it according to the manual it works fine. I've worked Spain, Italy, Hawaii and numerous other places with it. It may not be the perfect antenna but it always amazes me where I can talk with it. I keep it on the vehicle through all kinds if weather and I have never experienced any of the problems posted in these reviews. I'm not saying I won't in the future but up to this point it's been a very adequate antenna with no issues for the several years I have owned it. I suppose you can do computer models with software and compare it to other antennas and find a lot wrong with it but mobile antennas are a compromise and there is no getting around it. The capability of tuning anywhere in a band is worth a lot! If I can work the world with 100 watts mobile with it, it can't be that bad!
NO9E Rating: 2017-05-31
Great for its size and features Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used the ATAS-100 with FT-100 many years ago. Either with a 3-magnet mount (local) or lip mount (travel). No problem tuning except sometimes lower 40m CW with lip mount. I remember working JAs and KH6 as VK2ISF while my wife was driving watching for crossing kangaroos!

A few years ago I bought IC-7000 and never used it mobile because of a hassle of tuning.

Recently I bought FT-891 and tried the ATAS-100 again. It worked! The travel setup also includes a lip mount + MFJ-4403 power conditioner, for about 9 lb total. Works very well except that tuning up requires the engine going.

I tested this setup in Galveston Island, TX, from eastward beaches (working EU) and westward beaches (working KH and JA). Also as F/NO9E, working from a mountaintop and in a contest. Lots of fun.

The convenience of ATAS is incredible. IMHO, FT-891 has much better speech processor that other mobile radios, and perhaps extra 3 db of average power compensate for lower efficiency compared to much bigger antennas.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by NO9E on 2004-05-07

I use one for 4 years with a 3-magnet mount. No reliability problems. Tunes to reasonable SWR on all bands for which it was designed. What is amazing is that it works on 40m DX, where at one time I worked a few Europeans, usually on teh first or second call. It seems that this antenna has only a few % efficiency on 40m, but sometimes this is sufficient.
N4WSH Rating: 2015-12-07
Didn't Last Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I take very good care of my gear, always have, always will. The only time I left this antenna on my truck was when I used it. So would put it on the mount, use it, take it off and put it in the house. This antenna basically never saw foul weather even though I lived up north. Within 7 months it stopped working. Now, I'm a Yaesu geek, all my gear is Yaesu, but sadly, this antenna in junk.
K0MAN Rating: 2015-08-26
Great Lil Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought a used Yeasu 857D and the ATAS 100 at the beginning of summer. I sent the ATAS to Tom Dailey in Colorado, WØEAJ for a good cleaning. I sent the 857D to Yeasu for the same and am so excited about the mobile combo. I bonded every questionable point on my Kenworth and have been getting great reports all over the world with this old screwdriver antenna. I have the MFJ Ham Sticks and they perform far below that of the ATAS. Looking for a spare!!
W5PFG Rating: 2013-03-26
Going strong after 13 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this secondhand in 2000 from a local ham, along with a Yaesu FT-100 transceiver. This was in New England, southeastern Massachusetts.

After running mobile for 8 years on two different vehicles (2000-2008,) I retired it.

Fast forward to 2013. I'm back in my native Texan and traveling on the road a lot for work. I wanted to install the FT-100, which had long become my "go-bag" radio. I set out to buy a new mobile setup. Looking back on the ease of installing the Yaesu, I snagged an FT-857D radio. Instead of a new ATAS-120, I thought to myself why not try to the ATAS-100? I brought it out of retirement. The coil had come off its tracks internally and was an easy fix. After a little polishing up, it's as good as new.

March 25, 2013 I put it on the car for a test run. On 17m I contacted France, Italy, Cuba, and Austria from Texas. Solid 5x7 reports from them and a 5x9 on them.

Is this the end-all be-all antenna for HF mobile? Heck no.

Is it easy to use and have fun on some bands? Yes.

There are much better solutions but I've been very happy with the performance of the ATAS and radio combination.
AH6OY Rating: 2011-07-12
Great Mobile Antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Antenna works great. Only thing extra I would prefer is for it to handle more power.

I've used it on and off in differet vehicles. Tried a big legal limit Tarheel screddriver and 100 watts I think the ATAS-100 was better since the big antenna ends up having the Jeep eating more of the signal than the ATAS-100 that can be located on the top rear of the Cherokee. I've worked europe and the middle east when it came to big guns and it was mobile so the ATAS does get out but I'm sure 9K2GS and the germans, spanish, french and british I talked to had healthy antennas too. It was during the bands low that we are still in but we all know how openings go.

What I advise is to have a can of spray on silicone for when you store the antenna and another spraying down of the rubber boot when you pull it out of storage. I do deployments so the antenna and gear sit for extended periods. Antenna still function great after around 13 years. Rubber boot is still going strong.

If you have problems getting out make sure the base of the antenna is grounded good. You can put a plate under the allen screws of the mount and have wire from that plate to ground if you are worried about busting into the paint for a ground at the base. You can even pinch a ground wire between the plate and allen srews. That's how I've always done it with multiple cars. Also make sure the base isn't obstructed by the car. The antenna can take more wind load than any mounting base so don't worry about having the antenna located away from parts of the car that block wind.

Yaesu makes great gear. The antenna is a keeper. I just wish it would handle bigger power.
KC7YRA Rating: 2011-06-26
BLECK!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought one of these when it first came out. I was able to make some contacts on 15 meters and up. That's why I gave it a 1 instead of a 0.

The antenna itself failed several times. From the threads tearing out of the mount, to it completely stopping working. I eventually threw it in the dump.

Unless the new 120 is FAR FAR FAR better, I wouldn't touch one of these with a 100ft stick.
G8JNJ Rating: 2011-05-07
OK on some bands Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hi All,

Finally got around to measuring the loss associated with the loading coil on this antenna.

Measured the field strength with a spectrum analyser in comparision to a 1/4 wave vertical. Both antennas ground mounted and fed against 10 mixed length buried radials. Ground loss resistance measured as 15 Ohms.

Used EZNEC to calculate theoretical gain difference between antenna same size as ATS 100 and 1/4 wave.

Used these values and mesured difference in field strength to estimate loss in tuning coil.

7.0MHz approx 6.5dB Loss
10.1MHz approx 6.7dB Loss
14.1MHz approx 2.3dB Loss
18.1MHz approx 0.8dB Loss
21.1MHz approx 0.4dB Loss
24.9MHz approx 0.3dB Loss
28.5MHz approx 1.5dB Loss
50.5MHz approx 0.8dB Loss

Looks like performance has been optimised for mid HF bands.

I would expect the ATS 120 to be similar.

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

www.g8jnj.webs.com


KB9K Rating: 2010-07-24
A+ Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have used this small screw driver antenna and it just works great. Well all was great until I sold my FT-100 and got IC-706. Unless you use a controller (manual or auto) to tune this antenna there is no other way to use this antenna with other rig other than yaesu.

Did anyone try to modify this antenna to simply connect this motor directly to a switch and 12V power in order to move it and tune the coil? Before I start digging in into it I would like to know if someone already did it and how?

Thanks for reading and 73
Jovan KB9K

WZ3O Rating: 2010-06-16
NIce Mini Screwdriver Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought a used ATAS 100, replaced my Opek HVU-100 (ironic numbering), like the extra bands. Both do DX with my FT-857D, antenna mounted on my Black F150 Pickups front passenger door front edge abt halfway up. Tuning takes a while longer than my Opek but work very well....Black on Black, looks like a "covert" vehicle HiHi.....SO far so good, would give it a 4.5 if possible....