Yaesu FT-100 / ATAS 100
HF/50/144/430 MHz
Ultra-Compact HF/VHF/UHF
I purchased this little workhorse recently because I missed working mobile. The FT-100 will run AM/CW/SSB/FM on just about any frequency you’d like. I also am using the matching Yaesu ATAS 100 automatic antenna that covers 40 – 10 mtrs. It is mounted on the back trunk lid of my 98 Bonneville with an MFJ Mag Mount. I’ve been getting great reports on all bands so far … which has only been 10 – 20 – 40 mtrs. I read in the FT100 Newsgroup ( which I’d recommend to anyone that either has or is thinking about one of these beauties) that a good ground was absolutely necessary. To that end, I did install a special ground from the ATAS to the car chassis with coax braid. See the mobile below
My FT-100 Mounting Solution
This is a mount I had made using a scrap of
plexiglass I got for $0.00. For
$7.50, I had the plastics shop man bend
it in the shape of a square cornered “U”, drilled holes in it to line up with the
bracket holes and then dropped the FT-100 into the “U”, but up at a small
angle. (I’ve turned the rig upside down
to better show how it works) Then to
get some big sound coming out, I got a metal speaker from R.S., put bigger than supplied rubber feet on its
side, laid it on top of the FT-100 and used a real small bungee cord to go from
one of the mounting screws, over the top of the speaker and fasted it to the
opposite screw on the other side. This
keeps the speaker in place so it won’t fall off and I can take it all out in
one piece.
It then simply lays on the console where I took
out an insert that Pontiac had conveniently put in. An inexpensive mic hook foam taped to the side of the speaker
finishes the job. Since I’m in and out
of cities all over the N.W. and staying in motels, I needed something that could be taken in and out easily.