My ATAS-120A was acting quirky and locking up so I disassembled it for inspection. BE VERY CAUTIOUS if you attempt to do the same. The ATAS antenna needs a very good RF ground to function properly. Most problems that people encounter with them are ground related. Another issue is that the center pin of the PL-259 style base connector it uses is slightly smaller than other center pins resulting in a loose electrical contact with the antenna mount. One way to correct this is to bend the prongs of the mating connector inward slightly so that a good contact is maintained. Thank you KB5WIA for posting a very good guide on this antenna!
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Very nice video, and good explanation of the ATAS-120A’s internal components. I just ordered one along with my Yaesu FT-857D. But I do have a question: if I wanted to waterproof this antenna so that it requires almost zero maintenance, what do I have to do, could you tell me? Thank you.
KC2ZXL
@peterkim1999: There really is not much you could do to improve the water resistance of this antenna. It has the rubber boot at the top and rubber “washer ring” that rides up and down the main tube but moisture may still get in over time. If you are near salt water, I would suggest keeping a close eye out for corrosion, clean the antenna often, and protect it from the elements as much as possible. Make sure you use a good solid antenna mount that has a good ground connection.
@ab8xx Oh okay, thanks for the explanation. I am actually located in the East Coast, not too near the ocean so hopefully (fingers crossed) it won’t fail on me too soon. This antenna would be my first HF mobile antenna and also hoping that it would not give me too much problems. 73 KC2ZXL
@peterkim1999 : Good luck with it, the ATAS is pretty reliable if you take care of it. I have had transoceanic QSOs no problem with it on 20m and 17m, 30m and 40m are touchy on the tuning but have had QSOs in the US ok. It is about the same as a ground plane on 2m but is lousy for 70cm. There is a Yahoo group for the ATAS antennas you may enjoy. 73