Can You Use The Yaesu ATAS Antenna For Portable Ham Radio?

I'll Show You A Quick And Easy Setup For Using Your ATAS Antenna Out In The Field. Plus, Which Direction Should You Point Your Antenna, And Ham Radio Antennas For DX'ing From An HOA.
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[@stevenemert837]

Another general purpose tool for figuring out how to aim antennas for other regions of the world is Google Earth. Amazing to see the direction a straight line on the globe ("great circle route") takes, as compared to flat map projections.

[@Wingrider07]

Mercator projections are great for local map navigation, but distort long range compass headings and size of land and water areas. The further you are from the equator, the more pronounced the distortion. For aiming antennas, azimuthal is the only way. Azimuthal maps also show the relative area of land masses and water.

[@amariner5]

A globe would work better. I navigate ships, and every now and then, a globe is the right tool. Use a Taylors tape measure.

[@amariner5]

True direction to another point on the globe? 1. A globe 2. "Initial Course Angle" this is how radio waves and intercontinental ballistic missiles work.

[@ny4i]

I swear Mike was getting trolled by a flat earther :) But it reminds us that not everyone knows about Great Circle Navigation, etc. Glad it helped.

[@wildbill1]

Love mail bag Monday!

[@m7trsradio]

Great work Mike. Always helping. Great story about the emergency coms with the brothers 👍🏽 😊

[@demizer1968]

Great Circle is always the shortest route

[@w4id676]

I have my ATAS sitting on a faraday cloth in the attic mounted on a mag mount. I have three leads running from the mag mount and alligator clipped to the faraday cloth. Antenna tunes on 6-40m with a SWR range of 1.2 to 1.7.

[@GordonHudson]

I have worked 127 countries since last January using 10w and indoors antennas. I have an inverted V fan dipole in the attic for 12m, 17m and 20m. The 20m element is end loaded and slightly bigger than the 12m dipole element. No tuner required on those bands. Worth a try. Costs almost nothing to make apart from the coax.

[@nouveausocratic1884]

Re ATAS grounding for RVs, look at KISS-SSB Ground Plane for HF Radio for marine applications. Reported to work well for RVs that don't have any single structural element that can serve as an effective ground.

[@tpobrienjr]

I have an FT-100D and ATAS-100, tinkering with outdoor operation (moving to POTA). Tinkering with screen wire ground plane, some 20 ft radials, mag mount on a 12x12 steel plate. Reasonable results, but daytime op is tough with the lcd screen. Suggestions?

[@sleeve8651]

Caveat emptor ! I just looked at the Wolf River site, and they are down due to illness ! Apparently a crucial member of their staff is ill ?

[@garyh8315]

Using the frame of the motorhome or caravan will work. I have used the caravan as ground and worked the PY 10m contest, low power.

[@robincross4625]

Locally I am the VE in charge of Club testing. Here is a true story to remember. A Mother came in to take the Technician Test. I explained that she could get her Father's call in the Vanity system. She said that she knew that and it was the reason for her being licensed. I also explained that Her children could also qualify for the callsign. She went on to say that none of her children were interested in Amateur Radio. The only reason for her to be licensed was to reserve the Callsign. That way if any of the childre were to become interested the Callsign would be available and not be held by some unknown Amateur.

[@dougdaniels]

For the individual looking to do DX from his HOA, don't discount a hamstick (or set of them). It will be a very inexpensive option, and I've worked many European countries with them on POTA activations.

[@M9A1MAN]

Good point. I am in an HOA and I am currently using an MPAS Lite. Have had pretty good results with it so far. I can easily bring it down when I am done. Using an ATAS would be cool too since I have an FT-710.

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Health and Welfare Traffic.

[@amnchode]

If the choice was between a Hamstick and a 17ft telescopic, I would always recommend the telescopic. A 5.6M BD7IBI off AliExpress is cheaper than a single Hamstick, and it covers 5x as many bands (the same 6-20M as the WRC 213"), more efficiently. No matter how you slice or dice it, more metal in the air is always better.

[@philnorcross8973]

Zero five Flag pole. Most HOA will approve flag poles.

[@ralphnunn3]

I love my ATAS 120a! For home use, I have mine connected to the top rail of a chain-link fence. It's only up about 4' or so, but NO radials needed, and it tunes all bands! I've worked Japan from Utah on it, so I know it gets out!

[@phillipzx3754]

I have confirmed contacts from Spain, Brazil, and Japan out of Oregon with an ATAS-120a and my 991. Like you, I know it works. The ATAS 120 is mounted about 12" off the ground with 8-30 foot radials.

[@melbuckpitt4185]

Can you take a photo of your installation? I've tried the same and cannot get the ATAS to tune.

[@KD7JVR]

But the Earth is flat! (Just kidding)😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[@n7mky]

Great video! You forgot to mention the MyGo2 Antenna as an option - no tuner and all bands as well and great for DX!

[@hamradiotube]

You are absolutely right!!!! I hang my head low for not including that antenna. That is a great contender for sure. I had a lot of success with it at both my home with almost zero lot, and out doing a POTA. I'm pretty sure the first time I worked my Dad, W4GRD, on radio was with this antenna. Time stamped for your convenience. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHvHgpiuZpZopZYsi=AZVmmCixTN4KcRl_&t=508

[@canadavey]

I suffer from a small back yard and your setup of the ATAS on a military tent pole maybe be the answer I'm looking for just to give my vericle a little more height. I wasn't sure if you could run radials that weren't immediately laid on the ground or not, and your video answered that question for me. Is there a limit how high you could do with radials dropping down like that before they hit the ground? 73 de VA3DVY

[@hamradiotube]

That is a great question. I honestly don't know, but I would doubt it. I'll expect a full report of your findings by tomorrow morning 🤣

[@tpobrienjr]

We learned aout Great Circles in skool.

[@eurobimmer635]

I don't feel sorry for the person in the HOA at all, they knew they were going to be part of and HOA when they bought the home, so they can not complain at all.

[@d.j.roberts187]

Maybe they weren’t into radio when they bought

[@Subgunman]

What is the federal law on over riding HOA REGS for Amature radio. Now another issue is, is there any restriction to placing a flagpole in one’s front yard and if permitable what is the maximum height of the flagpole. If you get an OK on the flagpole you can run up a 1/2 piece of copper pipe into the pole and isolate it at the base. Connect this to an antenna coupler ( I am a little bit an SGC FAN if they are still producing any products ) and carefully bury in a bunch of radials in the ground as well as a section of feed line and power line to the coupler. This can be made to appear as landscapers doing work on you yard. If you are lucky enough to get an OK for a 40 foot mast one excuse is you are adding lightning protection to it thus the radials. This worked for several friends who had acre plus land in the HOA. MOST residents were retired military officers, retired police and some government workers who were quite patriotic, no problem in those HOA’s.

[@Chuck1855]

Mike tnx for the email back if you ever get a chance to make a video on that random wire antenna. Tnx for mail bag Monday. 73 KA4FLA Chuck

[@j.p.thearmoredchef]

Good ham friend of mine N3GCD runs an ATAS with his 891 as his primary mobile rig in his daily driver. He gets 40-6 I believe without having to leave the drivers seat.

[@johnsalisbury7664]

Mike, I do exactly what the HAM asked about the ATAS. The antenna is connected at the top of the RV ladder on a foldable mount, and I use a grounding wire with alligator clamps to bond to a bolt on the frame from the ladder. Works great. W7RSO

[@donaldsmith3048]

Wolf River will make a package of whatever part you want. you tell them what parts you want and they will give you the best price for that. I took a ground rod cut into 1/3 to have 3 parts to use to use as ground spikes to hold the Wolf River coil. Also got some window screen to use as counterpoise. Easy to set up and take down. Thank you for the videos with good information! 73 W4DES

[@geod3589]

I use the MFJ 17 foot whip without the WR coils. I made radials and use the tuner in my G90 for use on all bands, or use an external auto-tuner. I also made clip on wire, 45 ft long and clip it to the top end of the whip with metal alligator clip and the tuner makes it all work on low bands too. sure beats adjusting the coil every time you want to switch bands or go out in bad wx.

[@robertmeyer4744]

great questions. with DX hunting. ground mount veritable is your friend. a outher antenna great for Dx and is small is the Poseidon from Coffee and Ham radios. many are shocked with the DX contacts on that antenna. just put a Flag on top of pole. and have fun DX hunting. 73's

[@frankwells9159]

Great circle paths.

[@ae4xo]

so youre saying the earth isn't flat? Wow, next you'll say aprs isn't a useful mode

[@hamradiotube]

I say a lot of things. And they're all true. Or are they???

[@ae4xo]

@@hamradiotube lol

[@M9A1MAN]

Looking forward to this one. I am actually looking at a way to setup an ATAS at home since I am in an HOA area, and been trying to find ideas on how to do that. Hopefully this gives me some ideas to look into.

[@phillipzx3754]

Drive a rod into the ground deep enough to support the ATAS. 24" should be plenty. Get a mount for the rod. I used one that clamps onto an outside mirror frame. Next, make yourself some radials from some flexible wire that re-coils easily. I'm just using spare #14 speaker wire I had. Make at least 8 wires at about 30-32 feet to start. If your SWR is too high you may need to add more radials. When you're finished you'll have a portable ATAS 120a that you can put up or take down (from spying HOA eyes) in a couple minutes.

[@M9A1MAN]

@@phillipzx3754 thank you

[@sleeve8651]

​​@@phillipzx3754 Cheap metal Tape measures can be quickly deployed, and retracted just as quickly, as radials ! Depending on which ones you buy, and with some experimenting, you might actually be able to tune them, by adjusting their length ? You obviously have to come up with what works best for you, to attach them ! Just remember to sand off the paint to insure a good electrical connection ! Just a thought ! 👍😉

[@phillipzx3754]

@@sleeve8651 Stranded speaker wire works and can be deployed easily and is stupid cheap. The last thing I want to pack around is a couple dozen 50-foot tapes for radials. 25 footers are too short for 40-meter use, but should work fine from 20 meters through 6 with the ATAS.

[@sleeve8651]

@@phillipzx3754 Sorry.....! I wasn't suggesting hauling anything around ! But likely only 2 radials per band, 180 degrees apart, would likely suffice ! But I was simply suggesting a way that may help those that were dragged to an HOA, by their Wives, and have to low crawl at night, so the Nazis won't see them, to assemble some type of antenna ! Whatever works ! To be honest, I think most can make contacts, with very little effort, with or without radials ! If you're that uptight about your operating, perhaps considering a remote base, where adequate antennas could be erected ? Hams finding themselves in a similar situation in the same area, could always pool their monies together, and purchase a small plot of ground, and build a remote base ! Or find a sympathetic amateur in the area, willing to host a remote Base ! Sounds pretty cool ! 👍😎

[@longfeather127]

flag pole antenna

[@edwardzvonik7157]

I live in HOA and got approval for a flag pole. I bought a home depot 20 flag pole and converted it to a HF antenna. I have worked New Zealand and a mobile station on the red sea from Arizona with my Icon 7300 100 watts. Using an antenna tuner. works great

[@hamradiotube]

Ah yes, the old flagpole antenna. Great idea. Totally forgot about that! Thanks.

[@RookieLock]

I enjoy these q&a's, Thanks Mike !

[@ChrisKD9YSW]

Great video, helping me to decide on a HF antenna

[@ubergeek318]

That map is proof that the earth is flat

[@W3DMJ]

Sounds like an end-fed in the attic might work. I get great DX using my attic end-fed.

[@hamradiotube]

Depending on how much space he may or may not have in the attic, and if he even has an attic, absolutely that's a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@Private290]

If I were to reposition my end fed antenna, would it be possible to get better results for a particular geographical area. I seem to get certain areas of the world and not able to get others. Thanks.

[@hamradiotube]

You know, that's a great question. When I lived in MI, I only had one antenna strung up. First was a home brew fan dipole cut for 40 and 20. My very first HF antenna. I worked all kinds of DX with that antenna. And it was at the bottom of the solar cycle. I was licensed in 2016. General in 2017. Next was an OCFD to replace it. Same length antenna, same trees to support it, same direction, height, etc. Both were radiating due E/W. I worked a lot of DX from it too. Lots of European stations. But now that I'm in TX and have 2 EFHW antennas up, one E/W and another N/S, I find I get more DX on the one radiating N/S. You've also gotta take into account the radiating pattern of your antenna. A dipole is like a figure 8. At the top and bottom of the 8 you're going to have some nulls. www.researchgate.net/figure/Radiation-pattern-of-a-dipole-in-the-plans-a-horizontal-and-b-vertical_fig1_281946793 That doesn't mean you can't work stations there. I sure as hell did. Hope this helps.

[@DellFargus]

It blew my mind when I looked at pskreporter and saw that the short path to Asia for me is basically over the North Pole.

[@hamradiotube]

Right?!

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

No way Mike, Earth is flat as a pancake!!!!

[@billhewitt8965]

You beat me to it 😂

[@hamradiotube]

Pancakes still have some curvature to them 🤣

[@Ammed_KN6STX]

You saw the map it was flat!!!

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

I'm impressed...NVIS!!

[@N2YTA]

​@@hamradiotube then how do you explain waffles?

[@GreggK6EGG]

good stuff as aways

[@citicolina]

Atas in the attic might be all you need for a HOA too.

[@hamradiotube]

Great idea!

[@dougdukes1039]

On the Atas, Doing it how he talked about, the antenna would be 12 feet in the air. So what do you do with the radials? just let them flow down to the ground and out on the ground? Or allow them to go over the the top of the mobile home and then off to the ground? Or would a wire from the mount to the frame of the mobile home be enough? Thanks

[@ve3snw]

let the mobile home be the groundplane

[@hamradiotube]

I'd try with just the mobile as the ground first. No sense in working harder than you need too. If that doesn't work well enough, then try a wire to the frame or some piece of metal that is attached to it. If all else fails, just run some radials out however you can. You're going to have to experiment a bit but it shouldn't be too difficult.

[@genebodenberger]

Mike prounouncet the word "whip" properly.

[@hamradiotube]

I know, I'm sorry, it'll never happen again, I promise!

[@vonzigle]

Thanks!

[@hamradiotube]

Hey thank you so much!!

[@vkradio1656]

Mike, my wife reckons your a good looking Rooster, are you using Product at all?

[@hamradiotube]

Good question. I do shower daily which may enhance my boyish good looks, but I'm not certain that's all she's after. As for "product", no. Not since high school have I had the joy of using "product" on my hair. Thanks to a few girls who wanted to see if they could do anything about my split ends, I would have no idea what "product" even meant. Now I just shave my head, so I don't give a shi...

[@vkradio1656]

@@hamradiotube haha, she reckons meant moisturizers etc... great vids, always enjoy them.

[@chuckmartin6049]

Try the Buddistick Pro. Works for me.