So, we are getting ready for a road trip, and I needed to replace the coax from the radio to the antenna bracket. Since the bracket uses the towing receiver at the rear of the truck, and the radio is under the rear seat, part of the coax run is external. The pack rats had a field day with the old coax, so I used some RG-8 and ran it through some split loom since the rats don't seem to bother that. Since the connector at the bracket will always be exposed to the elements, I soldered the connection instead of crimping it. Then, added just the right amount of gorilla snot to it to weatherproof it. I have a cap I made that covers the connector to protect it when not in use.
The radio is a Yaesu 857D and I am using the Yaesu ATAS 120 antenna which the radio auto tunes for most of the bands from 7 MHz to 28 MHz. The radio and antenna are designed to be used together, so it makes a nice mobile package. In the past, it has done a very respectable job for me, and the antenna stores nicely and out of the way in the truck when not in use.
I finished up the installation, and it was time to test it out. Hey, this is a contest weekend, shouldn't be a problem getting a signal report, not an honest one naturally, but if they can hear me, that's good enough.
So I get all set to test it out, open the door, and two of the dogs think they are going bye-bye, so I waste some time chasing their ass out of the truck. Now there is dog hair everywhere, but I digress. I get the manual out because the 857, like most modern rigs, is very heavily menu driven, and I don't use it all the time and being old, forget which menu is where, and what settings need to be changed. I go to the index and find the pages regarding ATAS setup. I go there, select the menu to set the main antenna jack for HF + 6 meters, and the uhf/vhf jack to the dual band Larsen antenna. Double check? Check!
Finally, I find the right menu to select auto tune or manual tune. Check? Check. Spark up the rig and go to 20 meters. The band is hopping. I push the auto tune button, nuthin. Push the up or down buttons, nuthin. Try another band, dead, nuthin. Okay, the biggest problem I've found with screwdriver type antennas is grounding issues. So I double check all of those. Radio grounded to chassis with braid? Check. Power leads direct to battery via master switch and fuse? Check. Braid from bracket to chassis? Check. So I pull off the bracket and removed the connector, and make sure good electrical contact is being made. Just in case I regrind the metal a bit so it is bright and shiny. Put it back together, remount it, and hook up the braid. Check? Check.
Go back to the cab and try it again. Nuthin. Pull the manual back out to be sure everything is set right. Menu 85? Check. All the other goddamned menus? Check. Check, check, ad nausem. Try it again nuthin. Push the auto tune and it goes into transmit for antenna adjustment. Does the bastid move? Nope. Manual up, manual down? Crickets. I try 15 meters. Deader than Elvis. 10 meters, same shit. Fuck.
Double check all connections, all menu settings. Everything just as it should be. One last time, I follow all the settings and procedures in the manual. Go to 6 meters and push auto tune. The radio goes into transmit for the antenna adjustment and..........you guessed it, nuthin. So I change bands, push the auto tune, the radio goes into transmit, but still no antenna movement. I think huh, maybe the antenna is stuck, and if I pull or push on the antenna rod a bit, it will start working. Keep in mind that when the radio goes into transmit for antenna adjustment purposes, it is just a very low power output, so RF burns were of no concern. So into auto tune, I go back to the antenna and push and pull till I'm blue in the face. Nuthin. I finally say fuckit, I'm fed up and frustrated as hell. I start beating the hell out of the antenna with the manual, which I still had in my hand, and viola'. The antenna starts moving and 10 meters comes to life. Sonofabitch. I try all the bands and make several contacts on several of them. I guess when I have time, I'll have to look inside the antenna itself. Maybe I'll find a dirty relay or something.
Yes, the radio and the antenna is a nice combination. However, before using this setup, be sure to use the manual, not so much for reference, but more as a weapon.
