Your voltages as reported are nominal and not a worry.
This all comes back to the antenna needing a ground. The results will
always be inconsistent as the antenna is using the coax as the other half
of the antenna and the RF is capacitvely coupling to whatever is near the
coax cable. Just moving the coax cable an inch closer/further to metal will
allow the antenna to tune/not tune.
A quick test: I used 10 feet of 1" braid and a hose clamp to attach it to
the base of the ATAS-120A and just laid the braid on the roof of my car and
everything started tuning. I even used 1" magnets to hold it down to the
steel roof of the car - worked well for months like this but it started to
affect the paint.
Good luck and 73,
Joseph W6JHP
On Mon, Apr 9, 2018 at 6:59 AM, Jk mwblacksmith@... [FT-857] <
FT-857@...> wrote:
Will the antenna manual tune up and down from radio?
Here is the similar schematic atas-100 inside the antenna. You don't need
to transmit to manual tune the antenna. If it moves freely to both ends
you might be wasting your time sending in the antenna for repair.
The tuning intelligence is in the radio using VSWR
[image: image1.png]
On Apr 7, 2018, at 4:50 PM, Panttaja panttaja@... [FT-857] <
FT-857@...> wrote:
Good question. Two batteries in Airstream less than 12 months old. Also
tried connecting to car battery. Same issue. Have now tried with antenna
connect using different coax, and mounted on tripod same issue. Tripod
mount uses two radials. On 17m, antenna does not go up and down. On 20m it
does, but won¡¯t tune. One more experiment, using 110 power supply. Has to
wait until I am ¡®home¡¯. If the doesn¡¯t give a clue, yaesu has suggested I
send the antenna in.
Jim
On Apr 7, 2018, at 08:22, Joe Pugliano joe_aj3o@... [FT-857] <
FT-857@...> wrote:
Are the batteries older? Proper voltages without a load may be good, but
putting a load on one with even one bad cell will pull the voltage way
below the 12 volts.
Just had to ask as I didn't see that asked it mentioned. If I missed it,
sorry.
Joe / AJ3O
On Sat, Apr 7, 2018 at 12:20 AM, Jim Panttaja panttaja@... [FT-857]
<FT-857@...> wrote:
Thanks all who commented.
Still wrestling with it..
Yes - the antenna is not physically grounded - relying on a mag mount....
But it has worked¡ (Of course I can say that about any suggestion - because
it worked until about a week ago).
The power to all outlets remains at about 13 volts - even though the radio
reports less.
I have cheated on the wire - just ordered a bigger gauge wire
Also order battery connectors (all connections are PowerPole) with rings
so I can get away from CLA
It tunes right now at 12M and 15M and fails at 18M and 20M.. Sometimes the
antenna does not go up and down - so the lack of voltage is impacting the
tuning. But interesting that it tunes as 12M and 15M.
In about 10 days I will be back at my ¡®home¡¯ base - and will try my power
supply connected to 110 and see what voltage readings I get on the radio..
(We are full timers in our Airstream - but periodically get back to a
mailing address and a storage unit with supplies). I will also set up my
tripod mount - although I don¡¯t expect any difference in results. I do run
radials off of that - but do not connect a physical ground.
Jim
KM6GUO
On Apr 4, 2018, at 8:52 PM, Jk mwblacksmith@... [FT-857] <
FT-857@...> wrote:
The FT-857 draws 22amps at 100watts.
Hook a volt meter to power input connector on radio and validate your
loosing 2-3 volts.
Check you batt and ground connections are solid.
Increase your wire gauge feeding the FT857 if you have reduced the wire
size and or increased the length feeding power to the radio.
The tune system on the antenna supplies two different positive voltages
to the antenna through the coax. One triggers up and other triggers down.
I expect the voltage drop to radio is confusing the logic in the
antenna controller.
If you install a dummy load and your voltage drop problem goes away, then
your antenna may be drawing excessive current as if motor drive is binding.
K0var
On Apr 4, 2018, at 9:30 AM, Jim Panttaja jim@... [FT-857] <
FT-857@...> wrote:
I am operating my FT-857 with an ATAS-120 out of my Airstream Trailer. I
have solar panels on the Airstream with two standard batteries. I connect
the FT-857 to power with a CLA.
The ATAS-120 is mounted with a mag mount on my car next to the trailer.
When I try to tune the antenna - it works sometimes and not others..
Routinely the voltage (as reported by the FT-857) drops to 10.2 or lower
while tuning. I assume I just don't have enough juice (although the
Airstream reports that the battery is at 12.4 or even 13+ at the time).
But it does tune sometimes.
When tuned - no one 'hears' me. I have been trying for the last three days
on FT8 - and no contacts (though I report signals). When I transmit - again
the FT-857 reports a voltage drop to 10.x even though the base voltage is
reported as 12.x - matching what the Airstream reports it has.
Does this sound like just a voltage issue - the battery isn't delivering
enough (even though other measurements of voltage seem fine). Is there a
better intermediate battery that I should use - charging it from my solar?
With 200 watts of solar, I more than keep up with my needs in trailer this
time of year. Currently camping in Lee's Ferry, Arizona..
By the way - this has worked successfully within the last month in other
camped locations. So perhaps the voltage is a red herring, and my signal is
just propagating from this location.
Jim
KM6GUO
OI.__,_._
____________________________________________________________
*Doctor Warns: Stop Eating This Vegetable Immediately*
Gundry MD
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