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Reviews For: Yaesu ATAS-25 Portable Antenna

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

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Review Summary For : Yaesu ATAS-25 Portable Antenna
Reviews: 18MSRP: 299.95
Description:
The ATAS-25 is a manually-tuned portable antenna system ideal for the FT-817, FT-897, and FT-857 transceivers. Capable of operating on the Amateur bands between 7 MHz and 450 MHz, the ATAS-25 is designed for mounting on a standard 1/4" camera tripod stud (tripod not supplied), and includes an innovative fine-tuning system allowing precise SWR adjustment in the field.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamantht/4044.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
23184
AI6BH Rating: 2014-08-30
With Patience just outstanding Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Without an analyzer this antenna would be real frustrating I am sure. But with one I can set it up in a matter of minutes.

Once up it is quiet and gets out very well. I take it on my Jeep trips and recently in California's High Sierra's on the Rubicon Trail I worked a station and was amazed to hear that he was at the South Pole in Antarctica, no really he was!

With that sort of contact I do not think I can ever blame the antenna again just the atmosphere!

Just take your time and expect the world.
WY3X Rating: 2009-07-11
My detailed opinion, your mileage may vary Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just purchased this ATAS-25 used, but in practically unused condition. I thought the first thing I should do is to test it under the actual working conditions I plan to use it in. And yes, I realize it's designed for OUTDOOR use, but I needed an INDOOR antenna, so please keep that in mind when reading this review.

First off, the vertical part of the antenna is made from gun cleaning rods. If it ever breaks, I anticipate being able to ride over to Wal-Mart and visiting the sporting goods department for replacement whip pieces. The one included appears to be aluminum. You can buy replacements (from your local gun shop) made of brass or stainless steel if you don't like aluminum.

I found it would not tune on 40M. Hold on- let me explain. The ceiling in my home is standard 7 feet 8 inches. Using the tripod I had and three whips, I could not extend the coil fully. I suspect I probably could have reached 40M if I could have extended it some more. If you plan on using this antenna indoors, you may have the same problem.

A chart follows that tells what SWR I was able to get when tuning the unit using an MFJ SWR analyzer to check it.

Absolute lowest frequency with three whips: 9.275MHz 1.5:1
Absolute lowest frequency with two whips (fully extended): 7.685MHz 1.7:1
3 whip sections all the way retracted NO MATCH ANYWHERE.
2 whip sections all the way retracted NO MATCH ANYWHERE
1 whip section all the way retracted 1.2:1 at 65.000
Could not extend fully with three whips because of hitting my ceiling.
2 whip sections fully extended 1.7:1 at 7.685
2 whips NO GOOD MATCH on 20M. 2:1 at 14.350MHz
18.150 2 whips 1.3:1
21.400 2 whips 1.2:1
10.125 1 whip 1.2:1
18.140 1 whip 1.2:1
21.350 1 whip 1.2:1
24.900 1 whip 2:1
27.185 (CB) 1 whip 1.2:1
28.400 1 whip 1.3:1
50.125 1 whip no match
50.125 no whip, no radials 1.6:1
146.520 no whip with radials 2.3:1
146.520 no whip no radials 1.1:1
Could not test 440, my meter doesn't go there.

I have not had an opportunity to try this antenna outdoors in the wide open spaces. I'm certain the wiring in my home, the metal ductwork, my refrigerator, and other metallic objects cause difficulties in obtaining good matches. The length of the whip on 10M causes me concern that there is not enough radiating surface to make good contacts. The efficiency has to be somewhere along the lines of a Radio Shack gutter mount CB whip. I'd be suprised if I were able to make any contacts on 10M. In fact, on any band below 10M where only one whip was used for a decent match, I suspect the efficiency is so low as to be a total waste of time trying to make contacts. You could probably do as well on a wet noodle. I think a telescopic whip would have been a better choice, because having to work within the constraints of fixed-length whips (one whip, two whips, or all three, with no other alternatives) seems to limit the flexibility of the unit. I will probably manufacture my own adapter to allow the top of the antenna to accept a standard 3/8-24 thread telescopic 9 foot whip from MFJ. This will allow the least amount of loading coil to be used for maximum efficiency. As far as removing all the whips and radials and using only the loading coil as a radiator for 6M, 2M, and 440, the efficiency probably only marginally better than a rubber duck.

One variable aspect of this antenna is the tripod. The one I have is metal throughout, so the tripod legs become part of the ground system of the antenna. Some tripods have plastic mounts, and this would insulate the antenna from the tripod legs. There is nothing in Yaesu's instruction sheet to indicate which type of tripod is preferred for proper tuning of the antenna.

There is some ambiguous language in the tuning chart. What is the difference between "No Connection", "Do Not Connect", and "Not Used"? In English these all mean basically the same thing! Are they referring to the tuning rods or the radial wires? The rest of the instructions are well written.

As far as the overall design, simplicity of operation, durability, and aesthetics aspects, I think Yaesu has a winner! Personally I would have preferred that they package two of these units together and included 9 foot telescoping whips and some type of center insulator to allow you to make a rotatable dipole of sorts, and priced the set around $250.00. But if you do that, the adjustable coil would have to go somewhere else besides the center, and weight and angle-of-moment with resultant force against the center insulator would become an issue.

Hopefully I'll get to try this antenna out in an outdoor environment real soon, and I fully expect it to tune better under those conditions. Since my primary purpose is to use it as an indoor travel antenna, that was the condition I tested it under.

73, -KR4WM
K9MGY Rating: 2007-07-09
Get a Buddipole Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I am not impressed at all with this antenna. The instructions are vague, and very poorly written. I have yet to make a contact with this antenna. The construction if the antenna is very weak. I am having to send it back to Yaesu since the coil adjustment stripped out and now will not tune. I would buy one of the Buddipole products.
K9YEQ Rating: 2005-12-22
Works Very well and great quality. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Lightweight, high quality and effective when used outdoors, like any good antenna. Quick to tune once you get- the hang of it. tune for max receive noise first then Adjust for best SWR. I use with ft 817, K2, KX1 ,With good results.
K8RBW Rating: 2005-05-01
DOES THE JOB Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am scheduled to attend a conference in Hawaii and was looking for something I could put on a hotel balcony that worked 40 and 20 meters and wouldn't get me thrown out ot the hotel and the conference. I am tired of people yelling at me and yanking on wires from lower floors. It tends to breed paranoia. Accordingly, I thought I would give the ATAS-25 a try.

I am quite pleased. I gave it a trial run at my condo in Wisconsin. It has been an exceptional performer and not lead to any complaints from neighbors. Given current propagation, I thought in Hawaii I would need something that would perform in the evening on 40 meter CW with 100 watts. Thus far, I have received 599 reports out of South America and Europe. The antenna is mounted up about 30 feet on the balcony railing and attached to a 8 inch angle bracket secured to the railing with a C-clamp. My experience with a camera tripod, as they recommended, was dismal at best. If you are portable and have access to a balcony the angle bracket and a 1/4 inch bolt to screw the antenna base to is far superior.

I assume the height of the hotel and the proximity to the water at Waikiki will substantially enhance the performance of the antenna. On the other hand, the structure of the hotel may serve to impede the performance of the antenna. Only experience will tell.

The Buddipole is great and will probably substanially outperform it if you can set it out from the hotel structure with a painter's pole; nonetheless, its 16 foot length obstructs the view of other residents and can lead to complaints.

You can purchase them from Ham City (Jun's) for $199, much cheaper than most other places.

That's my two cents. 73 de Dick, K8RBW
VE3JAQ Rating: 2004-12-20
Nice little antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The ATAS-25 antenna matches my FT857D perfectly. I was able to work many DX stations including FO5, ZK1, JA's ZL's... Easy to setup and very portable. My whole antenna fits in a small tripod bag and mouts onto a small tripod about 4 inches from the ground. Although initially the antenna is cumbersome I managed to find flat swr readings on all the bands except 6M ( which I haven't tried yet). I marked each band with white adhesive tape so it makes tunning the antenna a breeze. Don't expect miracles but if portability and reasonable performance is what your looking for this antenna has it.
WK0C Rating: 2004-09-20
Not so hot Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Tuning drifts dranatically when the wind blows. Top aluminum collet that screws into top of coil section strips out easily...be careful when tightening. Tuning changes as you move the sliding section with your hand...takes a while of trial and error to get it dialed in.

More hassle than it's worth for the money you're spending on it. Expect more for $229
KE3VG Rating: 2004-07-07
Excellant Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this antenna during the trip to Orlando, Florida from the AES and tried with 5 to 100 watts using FT-817 and FT- 857 with no luck. I was on vaction for 2 weeks and had not contact a single station. XYL already concluded that it was $229 in drain. At the last day of the vacation I found out that the motel building was powered by 2 amp supply through steel rebar ( Concrete Building) to preotec it from corosion. well that explain why I was not able to make a single contact.

Any way I cam home and installed the antenna on deck without much hope . With my surprise within an hour I was able to contect several Dx station in South America, Europe, Europian Russia and many more west coast station. I was using Yeasu FT- 897 ( 5 to 20 watts).

The antenna is very light weight, easy to transport, Only 2 feed in length, when deassembled. Very easy to tune with less than 1.1.2 SWR. Very good construction quality.

I can not wait to try out outdoor and will provide feed back soon.

I would recommand this antenna to anybody.