radio antenna

[marcel]

What is the proper way for the radio antenna to work? I'm reading that it goes up when the radio is turned on, and then lowers when it's turned off. My car has the stock original radio, but I have a rocker switch instead of a dummy switch that is used to raise or lower the antenna. I'd rather have it working the original way, what ever that is. Comments?

[DMCMW Dave]

What is the proper way for the radio antenna to work? I'm reading that it goes up when the radio is turned on, and then lowers when it's turned off. My car has the stock original radio, but I have a rocker switch instead of a dummy switch that is used to raise or lower the antenna. I'd rather have it working the original way, what ever that is. Comments?

It should work with the radio. Either someone didn't like that and changed it, or the radio output quit working and they wired around it. There is a wire coming out of the back of the radio (blue I believe) that should go to the antenna as an "up" signal. Do you have the original antenna with the relay in the back of the car or a replacement with an internal relay?

[marcel]

It should work with the radio. Either someone didn't like that and changed it, or the radio output quit working and they wired around it. There is a wire coming out of the back of the radio (blue I believe) that should go to the antenna as an "up" signal. Do you have the original antenna with the relay in the back of the car or a replacement with an internal relay?

How can I tell if it is the original,or a replacement with an internal relay?

[DMCMW Dave]

How can I tell if it is the original,or a replacement with an internal relay?

Is there a small clear plastic relay mounted in the compartment behind the driver seat? Is it still hooked up?

[ccurzio]

It should work with the radio. Either someone didn't like that and changed it, or the radio output quit working and they wired around it. There is a wire coming out of the back of the radio (blue I believe) that should go to the antenna as an "up" signal. Do you have the original antenna with the relay in the back of the car or a replacement with an internal relay?

The wire was white on my car, though I have the dealer-retrofit rear power antenna. It wasn't the factory installed version.

I didn't even know I *had* the power antenna since I got crappy reception and my car was from the era of windshield antennas so I figured that's what I had. It was only after Mike S showed me the location of his power antenna that I looked on my car and saw that I had one as well. I never knew it was there because it didn't work.

A bit of testing and troubleshooting a few months later, and I found the line that was supposed to have run through to the radio was just hanging bare in the center console. Hooked it up to the radio and problem solved.

If your antenna already works but requires a switch, you should be able to bypass the switch and run the wire directly to the correct port on the radio.