Manual switch for power antenna

[Renthorin]

I want to be able to control when the power antenna goes up and down.

I primarily listen to CD's and tapes in the car and i don't want the antenna up unless the radio is desired.

I have the stock concert II sound radio with EQ in my 87 GN.

I want to get one of the in-ashtray switch plates and make it so on sends the antenna up and off brings it down when there is power to the radio.

What would I tap into to get this to work? Some wire up where the antenna power leads hook up is my preference unless there is something under the dash that is easy to get to. I don't want to pull the radio out if I don't have to.

 

[Audiowizard]

Originally posted by Renthorin
What would I tap into to get this to work? Some wire up where the antenna power leads hook up is my preference unless there is something under the dash that is easy to get to. I don't want to pull the radio out if I don't have to.

All you need to do is run a on/off (open/close) switch to the head units "pink" wire that sends signal to the power antennas relay that sends it up/down. Once you "open" the circuit of the pink wire, it will prevent antenna from going up when the head unit is on. You can do the same thing with the "orange" wire that powers the antennas relay. Here is the schematic:

Power antenna wiring schematic

 

[HzEmall Regal]

Make sure you wire in a relay with the switch to handle the added current. Most small switches can't handle much current going thru them. Use the switch to trip a relay to interupt the power going to the antenna.

You don't want to burn out those nice switches.

 

[Audiowizard]

Originally posted by Xtant Regal
Make sure you wire in a relay with the switch to handle the added current. Most small switches can't handle much current going thru them. Use the switch to trip a relay to interupt the power going to the antenna.

Radioshack carries switches that will handle up to 30 amp draws so a relay is not needed in this set-up, plus less wirng that you have to do for a relay. Some of them even light up to let you know that they are on.

 

[Renthorin]

Ok.....finally put the Pioneer deck in. It does not have a wire for power antenna but the harness from Crutchfield does.

I have a wire tapped into that now and plan to run it to the switch in the ashtray.

As I have no power wire to hook into do I just run one post on the switch to a spot in the fuse box and the other post on the switch to the power antenna lead?

What tells the antenna to stop powering once it gets to the top? I don't want it to keep running until I turn off the switch to lower it. I assume the relay does this?

Switch forward = power to relay and up goes antenna.

Switch backward = no power to relay so down comes the antenna?