You asked, so here's the update! Several viewers wanted to know: Can the Look North Designs suction cup mount handle the weight of a Yaesu ATAS-120A screwdriver antenna? Let's find out!
In this update video, we're testing the suction cup mount's limits with one of the heavier/longer antennas in the ham radio world - the ATAS-120A. We also cover mount adjustments, shipping delays, and some unexpected grounding challenges.
📍 WHAT WE COVER:
- Suction cup mount performance update (it's been holding strong!)
- Mount customization - tilting the bracket to clear the window sill
- Amazon shipping delays on our NMO mount adapter
- THE BIG QUESTION: Can it hold the ATAS-120A screwdriver antenna?
- Creative solution - combining lip mount + suction cup mount as temporary setup
- Grounding issues with the ATAS-120A (it's finicky!)
- Testing different adapters to make it work
⚙️ THE CHALLENGE:
The ATAS-120A is a substantial antenna - much heavier and longer than typical mobile antennas. If the suction cup mount can handle this, it can handle just about anything!
🛠️ TEMPORARY SETUP:
While waiting for the proper NMO mount, we combined:
- Look North Designs Suction Cup Mount
- Lip mount adapter
- Various connectors to test feasibility
⚠️ GROUNDING GREMLINS:
The ATAS-120A is notorious for being sensitive to grounding issues, and we definitely ran into some challenges. We'll work through these in future videos!
🔗 RELATED VIDEOS:
- Suction Cup Mount Showdown Part 1:
https://youtu.be/Zji72t3uqKI - Suction Cup Mount Showdown Part 2 (Failure Results):
https://youtu.be/MI7hmf6wE5c 🛒 GEAR MENTIONED:
- Look North Designs Suction Cup Mount:
https://amzn.to/48ZCCLv - Yaesu ATAS-120A Screwdriver Antenna:
https://amzn.to/48ZOblW - NMO Mount Adapter:
https://amzn.to/3KIogY5 - Grounding Strap & Clamp:
https://amzn.to/4axxAZj📦 SHIPPING NOTE:
We're still waiting on the proper NMO mount from Amazon - shipping delays are real! This temporary setup lets us test the concept while we wait for the right parts.
💬 Thanks to everyone who asked for this update! What other tests do you want to see with the suction cup mount? Drop suggestions in the comments!
🎬 COMING NEXT:
Once the proper NMO mount arrives and we solve the grounding issues, we'll do a full operational test with the ATAS-120A on the suction cup mount!
Thanks to Look North Designs for sponsoring our suction cup mount testing series!
👍 If this answered your question, hit that like button! Subscribe for the full ATAS-120A setup when all the parts arrive!
73, KE2DQ
Ham Radio Playground
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