phoenix808

hey all. i was wondering: the antenna on my 02 runner automatically goes up and down whenever i eject cd's and whatnot...it's annoying and i *never* use the radio.

the antenna is mildly bent (unsightly) and i'd like to be able to only raise/lower the antenna when i absolutely need to.

i was thinking i could wire it to a switch, so it would only go up or down when i told it to, not every time i eject a cd.

is this possible? anyone want to give suggestions to a newbie? thanks!

- brian

Tacoma Dude

I'm not sure if this will work for you but I had a Camry a few years ago with an aftermarket stereo and the same thing was happening to me all the time.

I just turned off the power to the radio before I put in a CD.
When the power turned off the antenna went down and then I'd pop in my CD for listening. When I ejected my CD the stereo went back to what it was before without the CD, i.e. off with the antenna down.

Don't know if this will work for you but it was a heck of a lot easier than messing with the wiring

L33T35T 4Runner

i believe all you have to do is put a switch in the line that goes to your antenna. if the antenna has a 12 volt line, it puts the antenna up, if that 12 volt charge disappears, it puts teh antenna down. the antenna has its own power and isnt powered by the actual head unit, just monitored by it.

ive been meaning to do this one day... and when i listen to XM radio or a CD it keeps the antenna up

phoenix808

Yea, that's the basic idea that I was having too.

So, when wiring the switch, i have the 12v line to the antenna, as well as what other wire? Wouldn't i need a general 'power' wire that interrupts the circuit to the antenna?

Sorry, kinda new with tinkering with my runner...

spoogy

all power antennas are the same - they get actual power from the battery (or fuse block) but have a sensor lead to the radio; you just switch that sensor lead - switch off, antenna stays down; switch on, antenna driven by the radio (BAU)

L33T35T 4Runner

exactly, the antennas actual power isnt powered by the radio. if it was, your antenna wouldnt be able to go down once the stereo is off. the antenna sensor wire doesnt get a 12 volt line, so the motor that gets its own power from other means, lowers by itself under it's own power source.