Comments on CQHQ: Yaesu Atas 120 issues

hi steve i have the same setup as you but put my...

2011-06-05T11:36:01.753+01:00

hi steve i have the same setup as you but put my atas on the rear door just above the hinge using a boot mount and works great on all bands no earth straps hope this helps

Elmar, I would be interetsted in the length of you...

2010-09-20T21:45:08.378+01:00

Elmar, I would be interetsted in the length of your earthing strap as I believe it may be quite critical in my set up (if not in a lot of cases) and I have been reading up on the Diamond MAT50 magnetic earth mat, which may give a clue...

>A single sheet will enable HF coverage from 7MHz and two sets of sheets for coverage from 3.5MHz with a suitable HF mobile antenna.
Note that to operate on 50MHz the connecting cable has to be cut to less than 20cm and that 50MHz can not be operated when two sets of sheets are used.

The fact that the cable of the MAT50 needs to be cut (for 6m) seems to say that there may be an issue with the length of the earth strap on my vehicle. My first earth strap was quite long, but I then put a short one in its place and gained 40m but lost 20m.

Mads, LA1TPA tells me he "uses the “Counterpoise Magnet Mat” from wimo.com with my ATAS-100 and FT-857" and that the lead is 27cm long. 27cm is about twice the length of my present strap and about half the length of the first one I tried. So guess what I will try next?

Regards Steve GW7AAV

Hi Steve, I've The ATAS 120 on top of the roo...

2010-09-20T20:31:19.857+01:00

Hi Steve,

I've The ATAS 120 on top of the roof rail of my Grand Vitara with a Diamond antenna mount. I made an earth strap and connected it directly to the chassis of the car under the roof rail mount.
With my FT-450 I can tune the ATAS without any problem on 40m to 10m. Works great!
If you need any info or picture, just let me know.

73, Elmar PD3EM

ALSO if you use a hatchback mount on your tailgate...

2010-09-20T10:59:03.716+01:00

ALSO if you use a hatchback mount on your tailgate be sure to check the grub screws and tighten them regularly (and keep a couple of spare alan keys in the car for good measure ...!!If you hapen to own another make of vehicle make sure there is a secondary form of earth to the tailgate (LANDROVER do this as a matter of course !!! )and do not take for granted the earth return in the wiring loom ...and lastly I know you have heard it all before, watch the coax run (very easy to get a slight nick in the coax and water in and trouble abounds )