FT857D & ATAS-120a installation Part 1

[@richardpalmer4471]

Sometimes it's nice to know I'm not the only one whose gear does not work as advertised without extra effort on my part. Good video, no fluff just how it is. Thanks

[@TAKEONEURBANPRODUCTION]

How do you keep bad eggs from stealing it screwing it off walk away ?

[@M0AOV]

Most of the time I take the ATAS-120a off the car and put it back on when needed, it all depends on the area you live in hi hi

[@junkman2758]

Physical and chassis grounding. That will help with RF noise. But to get the air test work do you need a good DC ground. Take one of those grounding wires and go straight to the battery.

[@mikeraymond6822]

Ive got the same prob with mine. Thers another u tube post type in atas problems, the ham got his working might be worth a look, im using and ft991 , it was working but the atas is frozen, its very frustrating hi hi

[@M0AOV]

As long as there is a very good earth to the system the ATAS120 will work but it's getting that good earth , thanks for the post 73's

[@reggiejones2513]

You need to let the ATAS cyclle longer...sometimes it may take 2 mins or so, don;t be put off by this as the antenna will sync with the radio. I have had this happen to me when i first got my setup and i had poor grounding too. Also you can manually tune by keying the mic and using the up aand down feature on the radio or mic ... which in my case is the FT-100D. Hope it helps or you may have figured it by now. 73.

[@M0AOV]

Yes all sorted every band now works it's all down to having a good earth connection.

[@reggiejones2513]

Also you can improve the antenna by using a longer whip...for example SIRIO 5000 whip...only useful to 10M then it will become to long for 6M, 2M, and 70 CMS. you need to carefully drill out the head so that the new stinger / whip fits. you will find you can still use the short thinner whip to by tightening the 2 set screws. More whip less coil bigger signal !

[@m0bob]

Did you discover the cause of the problem? Also, what antenna mount do you recommend? I am going to install the ATAS soon.

[@M0AOV]

Hi Rob YES I found out that the thickness of the wire used to use as a Ground cable around the Antenna mount needed to be thick and gound the mount as many places as possible now I have NO problems at all my Atas is used from 40mtr to 6mtrs, you can use a ( Black Metal RB-400 RB-400B Car Antenna Mount Holder for Mobile Radios ) check on e-bay they are around £10 delivered.

[@m0bob]

***** Thanks, I am about to fit one on my Suzuki Grand Vitara,I just need to find the best area on the car to fit it and to keep the car in a good condition (it is 3weeks old).

[@M0AOV]

Robert Adlington Hi Rob the best place people say is the TOP of the roof but then with the 3 mag mount holder make sure it doesn't scratch the roof, I have mine on the boot of the car and have NO problems on the Suzuki Grand Vitara 5th wheel you can get a mount from e-bay not sure on the price but it fits behind the wheel and you can mount the Atas on that mount and I think they work very well.

[@M0AOV]

Robert Adlington something like this Suzuki Jimny Antenna/Aerial mount for CB/Ham radio item number on ebay ( 191139332662 )

[@junkman2758]

Robert Adlington I have a stainless steel mirror mount bracket may by tram that I use on my 18 wheeler with the ATAS

[@pieman192]

Hi , totally changing the topic. What is the mount your using for 857 head unit, thanks

[@M0AOV]

Hi I got the mount for the ft857d from ebay i.e. mobile phone holder

[@kreskyv]

ok I can see how or were you attached the ground could you explain to me a bit? I cant get the atas to go up or down and I figure its a ground issue

[@M0AOV]

as long at your ATAS tunes on all band then YES the ATAS will tune the SWR to your radio and you won't get any errors, My ATAS once first installed didn't fully tune on all the bands it should of so thats why I changed the earthing connections and in the end I got everything connected right and the tuning worked 100%

[@revadan]

hi! how did you connect your radio to the battery.. got the same rig and my antenna is Atas 120A on a ford edge13. am afraid to connect it directly to the battery.. i might interfere the cars computer board and might create some ground loops to the entire system of the vehicle. thanks

[@M0AOV]

Hi revadan YES connected to the battery with out any problems, I use ferrite cores connected on all cables just incase I have any RFI problems and my Radio or Atas does not interfere with the cars computer board,all working 100%

[@junkman2758]

revadan Less likely to interfere with the car’s computer if you go directly to the battery. Remember that big chunk a lead is like a great big old countersink it sucks all the noise out of the system that’s why everybody says go directly to the battery.

[@reggiejones2513]

Happy days 👍

[@ronlouis3011]

Yeah. I really want one of those reliable ATAS antennas that don't work like this video shows. Maybe if you live somewhere where it never rains, like Antarctica it would be fine.

[@M0AOV]

Once the earthing connection is done the Atas 120A works as it should on all bands.

[@sergiodmota]

Greetings M0AOV. Is there a filter to make reception of this radio even better?

[@M0AOV]

Yes there are but they are a little expensive www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xyaesu+ft857d+filters.TRS0&_nkw=yaesu+ft857d+filters&_sacat=0

[@Davidgough27]

pain . did you sort it

[@M0AOV]

+Davidgough27 Yes I got it sorted with a heavier guage wire than what I had first used and everything works very good.

[@johnstover9083]

Tried watching..... got dizzy.

[@atemar003]

I understand

[@cdssheps]

Lovely set up mate m6bpu :)

[@Davidgough27]

you have my luck

[@kreskyv]

why so much grounding>?

[@M0AOV]

You need a good bonding so the antenna can see a good ground then everything will work as it should, there are loads of video's on here showing how to ground or bong your car.

[@kreskyv]

M0AOV oh ok i just bought one and cant seem to get it to tune

[@M0AOV]

Have you set your FT857D in to ATAS mode ?? in the menu system of the radio ??? You will see ATAS on the screen if you have before you click on Tune on the from screen ? hope you understand what I'm talking about ?? Have a look also at this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnLOm594f6aLnJo

[@timg5tm941]

All the more reason to buy ham sticks.

[@M0AOV]

Once the earthing connection is done the Atas 120A works with out any problems at all on all the bands it should.

[@r188ops8]

Yep, tunes up like the proverbial off a shovel, and quiet on the bands..........until I turn the engine on. Got umpteen ferrite beads spread about, but engine noise still present and rasps on idle and increases with acceleration. Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated.......... Paul

[@benjaminisaacs4668]

That's dodgy as! Radio flashing SWR and you just sit their!! I have a FT857D and once you see it flashing you don't just leave it keyyed up!

[@M0AOV]

The Atas keys the radio up with very low power to tune the radio and antenna so there is NO PROBLEM with it being keyed up, YOU need to have a ATAS and the FT857D tuning up then YOU will know what you are talking about, hope this explains the tuning process of the ATAS and the FT857D

[@benjaminisaacs4668]

Yeah, it certainly does!! :) Friend has one of them, 73s ZL2BCI NZ