| VK4HG |
Rating:   |
2011-01-03 | |
| Failed |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
18 months after my first review, the ATAS 120A traveled about 15,000kms on my 4x4. The antenna was removed and stored for any off road travel. The antenna yields satisfactory results.
In the end, the antenna failed to tune and was thrown away after 18 months. Would I buy and recommend one, no. My Terlin Outbacker is a superior performer in all respects. Not, it’s not a screwdriver, but it’s still there working after 5 years.
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| AI4HO |
Rating:      |
2011-01-02 | |
| Had one loved it |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Greetings, and Happy New Year to all. I had my ATAS-120A for about 2 and a half years, a little less maybe. I must say the entire time I had my ATAS it worked very wwell for my set up. I had a Ford Explore Sport Track, had the ATAS-120A mounted in the middle of my roof on a very large custom made mag mount. I know, I know, all the talk about using a mag mount on your vehicles. But, I have never had an trouble using any of my antennas and mag mounts.
I mainly am on from 40-2 meters, so the ATAS was ideal for my situation. I remember the first HF contact I made using my FT-857D and the ATAS-120A I had at the time, it was an Italian station, and it was a cold wet Florida day. I had just got everything installed the previous afternoon, and had a doctors appointment the next morning. On my way home I tried the ATAS on 20 meters, the 857D was set, all I had to do was push the tune button, the 857D and the ATAS were/are made for each other.
I made a lot of contacts using the 857 and the ATAS made it easy. Things change and I got out of mobile HF operations for about a year. I sold the ATAS and the 857D, and was strictly VHF/UHF mobile. I bought a new 2009 Ford Ranger in January of 09, was going to Dayton and decided on another mobile setup, this time opting ford my IC-706MKIIG, and a little Tar Heel II. But that my friends is a different review.
During my experience with the ATAS-120A, I only ran it on 40-6 meters, having decided to not opt for the duplexer to be able to operate 40-70CM with just the ATAS, and your rig of choice. I am now using an entirely different setup for HF mobile, and like it very much, however, with the technology we have today and the newer rigs out there for use as mobile or base.
I recently purchased a new Yaesu FT-450AT, although I don't plan on using it as my mobile rig, I find myself yearning for another ATAS-120A, just to have it and a controller to set up as another HF mobile rig maybe in my wife' car....yea right. Nice thought, not out of the realm of possibilities, when we go on vacation or something, yea..that would work......get one, they work well, and compared to some others ren't that costly.
73 de Mark
W3LZK |
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| NV2H |
Rating:      |
2010-10-07 | |
| Great Mobile Antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
After a month and a half, I think it is time to provide my review and experience with the ATAS-120a. At first, the antenna worked and then I noticed intermittent tuning functions. I knew without a doubt that the antenna was grounded and kept asking myself: what is wrong? After about 3 weeks of patience, discussions with Ron at Yaesu Tech Support, and a fellow ham K4USS, I realized that I REALLY did not have a good ground. I had to remove the K400C and remove 1/16" of coating that looked like paint but actually was a weather proof coating from the grounding points on the K400 set screws.
Bottom line, judge the ATAS only after you definitively know that you have a rock solid ground.
I have worked some really good DX to include a 5/9 report from Ukrane.
Great rig (FT-857D) and great antenna!
73, K0JMS |
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| K3AXR |
Rating:      |
2010-09-27 | |
| Fantastic |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I got this antenna to go with my new Yaesu FT 857D. It continues to amaze me with its performance. Literally 75% of my contacts yield an unsolicited "you have a great mobile signal, it's strong and sounds like a base station". I can almost work anyone I can hear. I've been in some dx pile-ups and gotten thru on the 3rd or 4th try. This weekend I worked a station in England followed by one in Columbia. Both had beam antennas and were running high power. We exchanged 59+10 reports going both ways. The combination of the FT-857D and ATAS-120A is unbelievable! |
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| N5PHT |
Rating:   |
2010-09-10 | |
| Poor |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Well, I had read the reviews and realized this was probably not an antenna that performs as well as some. However, I really wanted the ease of use with my FT-857D so I purchased the ATAS-120A. When it works it is acceptable - but not as good as my hamstick.
BUT, the big problem is that in the Texas heat it stops working. At about 90 degrees F (which is a good bit of the summer here) the antenna will not function. A call to Yaesu technical was no help. They said, "Well, that is a hot climate and that is a small tube for the antenna and it is only rated at 140 degrees!" I got no place talking to them and they simply said it does not work when it gets that warm outside! It works fine after the temp drops a little.
Anyone else have this problem with the ATAS-120A? I had not read this in the reviews so thought it could be something with my mobile set up but really can't find anything and as I said, it works normally after the outside temp drops below about 88 degrees or so.
I would be interesting in selling it to a ham in a cooler climate and then buy something that can handle Texas summers.
73 de N5PHT, Gary |
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| M0GNA |
Rating:      |
2010-06-23 | |
| Works fine. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I took the plunge and lashed out £230 for this.I mouted it on a hatch mount and used a Diamond MAT50 magnetic earth mat on the roof to add extra earth.I plugged it into my Yaesu 897 which i run from a seperate Yuasa 12v 24Ah golf cart battery and tuned it to 20m,(love the way it tunes at the touch of a button) and got a 59 from a Polish station and a 59 from a Norwegian on 40m running 50watts,all from right outside my house.Took a drive down to my local beach early the next morning during high water and worked four stateside and a station in Jordan all 59 with 50watts,would have worked more but had to go to work.I'm hooked on mobile operating and will swop my 897 for the more portable 857,but rest assured i will be keeping the ATAS. |
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| K5WTS |
Rating:   |
2010-04-01 | |
| Antenna - 4, Parts & Service #0 |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Bought new June '09 $329+sh. Due to my own stupid mistake, not covered here, it was damaged in the bottom 3" collar area. This contains a short coil, 3 resistors and a PC board screwed on top. This all adapts the antenna to a 259 connector. Yaesu informed me by a quick email response the PC board was a required part of the assembly and total price was $250.52+. They have separate names and part nos. I was one tube of epoxy away from a hamstick. fortunately I was able to reprair the 120 and we're back in business. The cost of the part was more than Yaesu probably received from the retailer for the original antenna. I'm praying the FT-897 holds up. I'm done with Yaesu and you should consider this before buying. Notwithstanding all this I would give the 120A a #4 rating. |
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| LU8ENU |
Rating:     |
2010-02-22 | |
| Good performer |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Hello Friends.I have had this antenna for about 3 years, I really satisfied by the performance of this, and realy is very easiness of having from 40mts up to the 70cms bands with alone to press a button.
73 Juan |
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| WA3SEE |
Rating:      |
2010-02-07 | |
| Good performer |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Had my Yaesu ATAS-120A on the air for a month - mounted outside my apartment window on a HB 45 deg. bracket. Connected to my FT-450 and iyt works great. Tunes all bands 40 - 6M. Really pleased with performance and solid construction. |
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| NS5F |
Rating:  |
2009-09-22 | |
| When it worked, it worked but.. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
...Keeping it working was the challenge.
The ATAS-120 was a good idea, but the execution was sub par for the quality I expected from Yaesu. I've owned the antenna (purchased with the FT-857D) for over two years and it has never really worked for more than a week at any given time. The antenna was installed on a Mazda pickup using a Geo-Tools (highly recommended) stake pocket mount. After reinstalling the antenna multiple times, paying close attention to grounding I've finally given up and am now considering Hustler resonators or another screwdriver type antenna. The final straw was the intermittent operation of the drive motor caused by a failure in the connections at the antenna base. It's a pity as the concept of "one button" tuning with the FT-857D was the primary appeal for my purchasing decision. I am still a fan of Yaesu radios I own the FT-847/857D/8900/2800. Maybe next time Yaesu will get it right. If not they should consider leaving the antenna business to other vendors and concentrate on what they do best, building high quality high value transceivers.
de NS5F |
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