My new setup

Well today I took the plunge and ordered a new Yaesu FT-857D with the Atas 120 mobile antenna from Waters & Stanton with quite a good price on postage. It has been shipped today and I await for the parcel to arrive tomorrow before 3 :-). I am looking forward to being back on HF and having the VHF / UHF only it's sort of killed my radio hobby. Not used it much at all so I hope to be on the mountain again Sat ;-) trying out the new setup.

I hear the Atas 120A needs a good earth to the car so I have got some copper earth wire for household use so that should work.

Dave

Never used a Atas, but the 857 is certainly a very nice little radio for the cost.

Here, just landed an VX-8R one of ten in the country here with the new software.

Two Interesting Facts: Factory sealed and was open for PMR and other bands, was not locked so thats a weirdie thing

And the second, ordered a kilo of stuff for it from hong kong, so wait now and the APRS will be active

I got the radio y-day Alan and screwed the Atas 120 on the body mount that I drilled in the roof a few years ago and plugged the radio in. After spending 10 mins finding the Atas menu on the 857 to set it up I then tuned the atas on 10 / 20 / 40 but wouldn't work for 80. I also had no noise on the band when the engine was off so I suppose reading the reports on some of the forums I am very lucky.

I am just sorting the shack out as the radio will be used in here too...

Good luck with the radio great to hear you getting back in to it !
All the best mate and good dx ...

Tony 29ci102

I have today required a new bit of dash as when I had the Ranger 2950 I cut a nice big hole in the car to fit the radio in. Now with the 857D as you can see in the picture I have fitted the face and the box is away in the boot.

I need to rewire a cigarettte lighter socket into our car as it burnt the wiring for the old one out, for some unknown reason.

I have a direct feed from the battery for the radio :-). The socket goes off with the ignition so that was no good. Can't stand wires all over the place.

The car just needs a bit to go around the radio as it's not the factory fitted CD player. I did look in the scrapyard but no joy. Have to be an order on the net...

I have all the bits laying around for altering the power supply issue, but as I like to use a temporary radio / antenna set up due to our car being parked on the roadside overnight & as I want to also use a trickle solar charger I am not sure if I go just the cigarette lighter socket run from the battery route or if I go for cigarette lighter plus other option for the radios which allows them to be used in the car, plus on a power supply option, I am still deciding.