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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
W8NIC Rating: 2009-01-09
I LOVE IT !!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
i've had this antenna for about 1 month now and worked my very first mobile dx contact on it (caracas, venezuela). a day later made a 2nd mobile dx contact (italy). i also have a homemade screw driver antenna (looks like a tarheel) and it works a little better. but for the size, i would use the atas 100. stateside contacts are very easy, almost always 20 over s9.
must be grounded really good for proper operation.
this antenna is a keeper.
W5DHE Rating: 2008-09-18
Perfect For FT-100D Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is my first HF Mobile ant. It works great with my FT-100D. From 40m-6M. It takes a little time to tune but after it tuned I can check it with my Palstar and it is 1:1 SWR. I use it on a Wilson quick disconnect trunk mount. I found out from day one run a ground wire as short as you can get to the mount. If you have a FT-100 FT-857 FT-897 You will love this ATAS-100.
K4FX Rating: 2008-08-03
Mine works Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my 2nd ATAS 100 and it works identical to the first one, auto tunes all bands including WARC to below 1.5 to 1. To the other posters complaining that it won't tune properly, you must ground this antenna for it to work and do not expect much out of any HF antenna on mag mounts!

I use this one daily from 40 to 6 meters, 2m and 70cm performance is poor and you will be better served with a dual bander up there. But for ease of operation and performance, you just can't beat the ATAS 100, they work!
G0UAA Rating: 2007-07-26
Atas Drain Hole ? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hi I've just picked up a FT857D with a Atas-120, Ive had a setup like this before but it had a 120A with it. I carn't remember if the 120A had a drain hole ? and whats the diferance between the 120 and the 120A ? This 120 seems to be doing what its supposed to do, UP & Down with no trouble. Any info please to Ian G0UAA E-mail poohma@ntlworld.com.

Ps. I do like the little flashing Blue light when tuned bang on to the CW/Data Signal
On the 857 of course.

WX9DX Rating: 2007-07-05
Not so good antenna! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought an ATAS 120 antenna and have had it a few weeks from AES. They are not very great on any band! It is not as good as a standard 5/8 wave on two meters, about the same as trying to run just the load colil of a Hustler on HF, which is quite a poor antenna, and won't tune the warc bands at all. It also is one of the worst antennas I've ever had!!! Been in Ham radio, Two Way radio all my life, and if you want a good HF antenna get a Predator out of Indiana like I have on my pickup truck. I mean it I tried everything with this ATAS120 on my Wife's Santa Fa SUV. On vacation it was a very poor antenna on 40 meters even on Mid Cars people had a hard time hearing me. Stations that usually answer right up could not even tell I was there. It's operation on UHF and VHF if quite poor compared to the Jetstream I had on the Wife's SUV before.

As for your reports of 5/9 from stations. It's common place for them to 5/9 you on field day even if your poor copy!

So if you think that ATAS 100 is good then try it side by side with a Predator! I won't believe another Yaesu claim to fame on their antennas!

Jimmy:(
KC9IMT Rating: 2007-07-01
... Wow!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I acquired this antenna at field day this year... I'd never used one before, and was anxious to give it a try. I already have a K400 mobile mount, FT-857D and a duplexer installed, so the antenna installation was simple. After that, setting my radio to use the ATAS feature was all that was left.

I tuned to 20 meters in the parking lot and heard a CQ FD from RI in the SSB portion. As I listened, this guy had quite a pile up, so I waited, and after the next QRZ I gave my call... He came back to me with a 59+!!! WOW!!! I figured it was too good to be true... So I tuned around on 40 meters... Found a guy in AZ... Another 59+!!! Sold!

I know I won't bust a lot of pile-ups... (Or maybe I will)... But so far, so good. The only downside I've seen is the antenna doesn't like tuning in the SSB portion of 6 meters and has a bit high SWR on 70cm. If anyone else has come across this and has a solution, please let me know! w9bko@arrl.net
W4VD Rating: 2007-03-27
So Far It's Great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After seeing about 50% of the folks cussing the ATAS 100 and 50% loving it, I figured what the heck, why not take those odds? So I found one in mint shape for a fair price, I installed it on my FT-857D, I let it do it's init routine, and WOW, now it's like a little StepIR, talk about fully automatic, the Turbo Tuner, the Antenna Boss, none of them could possibly be any better, you push a button, it goes to a 1 to 1 SWR, end of subject. The thing is a comprimise as all antennas at a fraction of the length they need trying to work, but this is a good compromise, if you see one at a good price, (100-150) in good shape, jump on it. I am sure the fun I am having with this ATAS 100 is going to make me want something for 75, and then more power, and then ATAS will be sold, but for a starter motorized antenna, you can't beat it! Get you a small dual bander and use the ATAS on HF and 6 and use the dual bander on the other port, no need for a duplexer and the ATAS is a very poor performer on 2m and 70cm, there are plenty of decent mag mounts outs there you can get for less than what a duplexer would cost.
N0MNO Rating: 2006-02-01
great antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My atas with mt ft100 performs great in my mobile. Have worked dx with 100 watts regularly. Im on my third antenna....the only problem I have had is forgetting to take it off my car when entering the garage....But I have broken that habbit....I hope
KB7EFZ Rating: 2005-02-22
Excellent, 1:1 all bands including WARC Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The manual from Yaesu indicated I might have trouble with the WARC bands.
I had trouble on all bands at first. Found I had stray RF in the shack due to bad grounding.
Regrounded rig, much more carefully - three wide braids to frame.
Now the mag-mounted ATAS tunes flawlessly.
Love it!
Have a full set of ham-sticks in the garage collecting dust. Only wish I could do 80m...
KB7UED Rating: 2005-01-21
Great Stuff! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used the ATAS 100 on 10 different vehicles, including on the back of a diesel motor coach. I have beat it to death during off road use. I have had it in the heavy rains of the Pacific Northwest. The extreme heat of the desert hasn't caused it to fail. If you ground it properly and DON'T OVER TIGHTEN IT, as well as USE THE PROPER MOUNT, it will work for years with little maintenance. I suspect those who had trouble with it over tightened it!. I have run my SG-2000 into it in a pinch with no problemss....