Yaesu ATAS-25 portable antenna

[JustLou]

Does anyone have any experience with the Yaesu ATAS-25 portable antenna? I've got a lot of free time this summer, so I decided to upgrade my license. I ordered a Yaesu FT-817ND along with the ATAS-25. My plan is to just sit in my yard this summer and try and make a few contacts with 5W and a small antenna.

Edit: Ugh. Sorry. I thought I was in the antenna forum. Mods please move. Thanks.

 

[prcguy]

They work ok on the higher bands 20m on up but don't expect any big signals on 40m, its just too small. I have a blast using 5w on HF but I always make sure my antenna can make the most of QRP levels like full size dipoles, etc.
prcguy

Does anyone have any experience with the Yaesu ATAS-25 portable antenna? I've got a lot of free time this summer, so I decided to upgrade my license. I ordered a Yaesu FT-817ND along with the ATAS-25. My plan is to just sit in my yard this summer and try and make a few contacts with 5W and a small antenna.

Edit: Ugh. Sorry. I thought I was in the antenna forum. Mods please move. Thanks.

 

[JustLou]

They work ok on the higher bands 20m on up but don't expect any big signals on 40m, its just too small. I have a blast using 5w on HF but I always make sure my antenna can make the most of QRP levels like full size dipoles, etc.
prcguy

Thanks for the info. I'm not expecting too much from it. I'm just hoping for $200 it isn't a dummy load.

 

[JustLou]

JFI, I received the antenna and it does work fairly well for what it is. It receives well, and I made a few stateside contacts on 20M running 5 watts. My next experiment is a wire antenna in my attic.

 

[AC2OY]

JFI, I received the antenna and it does work fairly well for what it is. It receives well, and I made a few stateside contacts on 20M running 5 watts. My next experiment is a wire antenna in my attic.

Lou your in the New York New Jersey area? If so do you do UHF/VHF? I usually hit the local repeaters hope to talk to you one day!

 

[JustLou]

Lou your in the New York New Jersey area? If so do you do UHF/VHF? I usually hit the local Repeaters hope to talk to you one day!

I just started being active again after years of not being on the air. I'm in Staten Island now, after moving from NJ. I'm waiting for my vanity call sign. When I get it, I'll PM it to you. I don't feel comfortable posting it on a message board since it's the equivalent of posting your name, address, and phone number.

 

[acyddrop]

*** ignore this you already got one ***

The ATAS is pretty bad (IMO), it's just one step up from a dummy load. You're probably better off looking into something like the Tarheel (Little Tarheel II) it works pretty well and certainly better than an ATAS.

Does anyone have any experience with the Yaesu ATAS-25 portable antenna? I've got a lot of free time this summer, so I decided to upgrade my license. I ordered a Yaesu FT-817ND along with the ATAS-25. My plan is to just sit in my yard this summer and try and make a few contacts with 5W and a small antenna.

Edit: Ugh. Sorry. I thought I was in the antenna forum. Mods please move. Thanks.

 

[JustLou]

*** ignore this you already got one ***

The ATAS is pretty bad (IMO), it's just one step up from a dummy load. You're probably better off looking into something like the Tarheel (Little Tarheel II) it works pretty well and certainly better than an ATAS.

Well, I don't think it's that bad. I have strung up an END-FEDZ 40/20/10 which works amazingly well even at low power. After some trimming, I got 1:1-1:2 SWR on most of 40 and 20M, and under 2:1 on the lower end of 10M.

 

[acyddrop]

Wire antennas, like end feds, OCFs and dipoles are age old. They're still here because they work, and they work well. Antenna theory/design (and everything between your rig and the antenna) has become a bit of a passion for me. It started with the design of my first vertical antenna and has branched off a lot from there. I still come back to wire antennas of all sorts. They're fantastic, and I've done QRP (5 watts) DX with a dipole tossed up in some trees during a camping trip using a Yaesu FT-817ND. I'd still take my dipole in the trees over an ATAS though.

Well, I don't think it's that bad. I have strung up an END-FEDZ 40/20/10 which works amazingly well even at low power. After some trimming, I got 1:1-1:2 SWR on most of 40 and 20M, and under 2:1 on the lower end of 10M.

 

[JustLou]

I'm a few blocks from the beach, and I took the ATAS-25 down there with my FT–817 yesterday. Not surprisingly, the antenna works great down near the ocean and the radials spread out on the sand. I was able to sneak into some heavy DX pileups with 5W.

 

[AC2OY]

Nice!!!!