traben27

I got my new power antenna mast in the mail today (i destroyed mine on a tree while offroading) so I got that in. I also picked up a switch from radioshack and I want to install a switch to where i can control if the antenna is up or down. I know I can just do radio-switch-antenna but i want to mount the switch where my aux lights switch is, on the left side of the steering wheel. this is where my total lack of electrical knowledge comes in. i figure i'll need to add wire to the existing if i'm going to put the switch all the way over there, but what kind of wire or whatever do i need, is there really anything specific cause i honestly have no clue. Also, what color is the wire for the antenna motor? any help would be great.

Tofer

put the switch inline with the blue wire from your head unit. thats what i've done. it works like a champ. i used just 16gauge blue wire to match.

traben27

thanks thats everything i needed to know.

Starbuck3733T

This is the part where I'm glad my kenwood head only sends the antenna up when the radio is on, not the CD or AUX inputs.

I had this happen, but it was too late... my exwife tore the antenna out of my '94, while SHE was wheeling. I was not with her, but my step-daughter was.

traben27

see if i had a choice, i would definitely not have put the HU in that whoever owned it before me put in. its one that folds down and crap and i hate it.

Tofer

i like my fold down HU... that way i can fold it down and turn the lights off when driving long distances at night

YotaFun

I just go the switch form the first gens off of ebay, will be wiring that up to work for the motor.

traben27

well i mean it was cool and all at first, but now it has this problem where it can't fold down without getting stuck, so i have to give it a little push all the time.

other than that its cool.

Starbuck3733T

I don't ever actually play CDs.. I just use the aux input and i have my iPood mounted directly in front of it, so I can't even see the display. it just says "AUX" anyway. I can still control volume and source though

traben27

okay okay just keep goin on how cool your player is and how much mine sucks haha just kidding. mine has the aux input, but i haven't gotten around to buying the cord and then hooking it up in the back of the thing.

traben27

before you read this and think dang he's an idiot, i'll admit i know NOTHING about what i'm trying to do...so okay i took some of the dash off...well none really, just the little center part that pops out and i can see the wires from the HU. so there's a blue one and also a blue one with yellow stripes. is the blue one the one that goes to the power antenna for sure?

i dont know what all of the wires in my 4runner are for because i have aftermarket speakers too but no amp or anything. well also coming out of the back of the head unit are the wires one with a red end one with a white, like the cables you use with video game consoles, except its the female end i guess...what're those for?

toy_tek

pretty sure its solid blue. you can check when you cut it - turn the radio on - if the antenna doesn't go up, you have the right one!

edit: click here

traben27

yeah i guess i cut the wrong blue one because my right front speaker didnt work so i got that back together but uh, i got frustrated so i'm going to do it some other time i guess. thanks though.

Starbuck3733T

It should be the solid blue that exits the head unit...

since you're already on an aftermarket head you don't have the factory HU's amp (I dunno if this was just my limited with the 6CD changer or if it's standard).

Sorry to hear about your speaker... have a beer, relax, take your time and try again

traben27

i'm bringing this thread back from the dead because i finally found time to do this again. well, i found the right wire, made sure it was right (turned radio on after cutting it and antenna didnt go up), put the switch in line but now i have problem.

scenario: i have the car off with the antenna down, and the switch off. if i turn the car on the antenna doesnt move. when i put the switch to on, the antenna goes up. if i switch it to off a second later, the antenna stops mid-rising. however, it will not go down. when i turn the car off, the antenna goes down. what did i do wrong because i can't make it go down? according to the diagram from 111db, i cut wire I.

MrJummy

I actually just recently finished doing exactly what you're talking about. I was trying to get the antenna to go up and down with the flip of a single switch, but unfortunately, it sounds like both of our radios do not have separate wires for the power antenna and the amp. I actually just switched mine to do what you're talking about because before, when I would switch the switch (strange that I would do such a thing...) it would make the antenna go up and down, but it would also turn off the amp. If you want, you can move the wire that your spliced the switch with to the left one (do the opposite for the wire whose slot you'll be taking) and this will allow the switch to do exactly what I just described. I am now in the process of finding out what commands the antenna to go down, for we both have discovered what makes it go up.

MIKEMOKAS

theirs got to be a relay or something.. i thing if we could find that then we could tap into it and use our rocker to control how high we want the mast to be..

what kind of a witch are you guys using..? i think we need a spring loaded rocker switch.. with three positions..

middle= neutral and then up and down.. so that we can control how high we want the antenna...

just so i know i have this straight, you guys spliced a 2 position switch.. you turn it on the antenna goes all the way up and motor stops.. turn the switch off and the antenna goes all the way down? does the antenna still work with the radio if you leave it in one of the positions?

thanks!!

toy_tek

I don't get why you want the antenna stopped anywhere but down or up?

MIKEMOKAS

i was thinking that if you have good reception where you are you could let it ride a little lower.. i donno kinda like the shorty antennas?

ttyl