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Reviews For: Yaesu ATAS-120

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Yaesu ATAS-120
Reviews: 97MSRP: 325
Description:
Motorized Mobile Screwdriver Antenna 40m-70cm. Updated version of ATAS-100. Band change control with Yaesu radios FT-100, FT-897, & FT-847.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00973.6
N6PG Rating: 2009-02-23
Its worked great for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been out of radio for many years. I bought a Yaesu 857 on craigslist, and it came with the ATAS-120. I was looking at other antennas, and I wasn't too optimistic with some things I have read. When I hooked it up, it tuned and I was on the air. From San Diego I have gotten Japan, Russia, and Argentina. I think it is a great setup. It doesn't do 80 meters, but it isn't a huge antenna on the car either.
K6UW Rating: 2009-01-18
Cannot recommend Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
After less than a year, the 120 quit tuning. I got the Sidekick and it works great. Easy to tune and very well built.
KB0SVY Rating: 2009-01-18
POS Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Well after having my Acrap 120 on my truck it blew up.. Stopped tuning, wont go up and down. Now I am looking for a different antenna I can count on. I would not recommend this antenna at all..
NL7R Rating: 2008-12-22
Repair Your ATAS-120 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I took my ATAS-120 apart after it stopped working. I found a good diagram here:

http://fileshare.eshop.bg/downloadsm/26918/Yaesu_ATAS-120.html

and found the whip was not being held in tightly by the two setscrews. Also the active base had dirt and a bit of corrosion (looked like salt) which I scraped off the chrome part and then cleaned with a Scotch Brite. Put back together again it works fine. It's easy to disassemble. However it really only performs well on 17m and higher. On 20 meters it's very marginal. I'm going to go with a bigger coil so I can work DX from the car. The wire coil looks like about 26 gauge. I want some herky 5.5" coil.
N1IER Rating: 2008-11-25
Great antenna!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I guess reading these reviews you either love this antenna or hate it. Well I’ve had it for almost 3 months now and I love it, it's great!! I am using it in my truck mounted on top of my truck bed tool box which I carefully grounded to the truck. I can talk all over the world with 100 watts and my best contact so far is an island off of NW Africa breaking through a big pileup. This thing just plain works and it’s simple to use since the radio does all the tuning, no extra equipment needed.
K6LLO Rating: 2008-09-29
Very unreliable device Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had for two years. Mounted mobile for a total of maybe 20 hous. Although carefully grounded with good coax, will tune only intermittently. Sometimes it works flawlessless, othertimes it just dies. Has never been in the rain. It is more convenient and reliable to drive off the freeway, put on a hamstick, and restart then to try to get this piece of ill designed junk to work. Of course I am out of warranty with about 29hours of total service. A finger in the so239 is probably better.
2E1ICB Rating: 2008-08-22
Mobille HF Antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have my Atas 120 fitted on the roof of my van and along with the Yaesu FT 857 it works great, the instructions say it wont work 17,15,12,meters but to try it as it wont hurt it, well mine works great i usually run 17m band and it tunes in perfectly and i have excellent reports, i have had contacts to states, Israel,japan,Norway, South Africa all within a few weeks,i bought my antenna at a reduced price but i would willingly pay full price as it works so well and is easy to use, if you work HF mobile and have a FT 857 then this antenna is a must, why use a screwdriver to switch bands when you can press a button while driving!!
AF6DE Rating: 2008-08-21
Disappointed Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had this antenna for about 1 year now and it all of a sudden stopped tuning. It may have stripped gears or something. when it works, it works good. But NOW I have to "coax it along" every so often. I will check out the Hi Sierra brand and get rid of this wanna-be antenna. It's either that or go to an all band antenna and a tuner :(
Avoid this antenna, go for another brand.

James AF6DE
W5JAO Rating: 2008-07-17
JUNK Time Owned: more than 12 months.
2 HAVE CRAPPED OUT IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS, BOTH STRIPPED INTERNAL GEARS. YAESU WANT A NEW ANTENNA PRICE TO REPAIR. FIRST TIME I DID. THIS TIME JUST GOING TO SCRAP THE WHOLE ATAS IDEA.
N1ETS Rating: 2008-04-05
Bought used 7yrs ago Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had this antenna on the back of my car for 7yrs and not a lick of problems. I have taken it apart to clean and relube it a few times. Tunes all bands
it's designed to no problem with my FT-100. Yes it's a compromise antenna but for mobile work it's fine for me. Tunes at -20f and above the trick may be in the grease I use. This is salt country here and no invasion from that with proper maintenance.
N1ETS