Power Antenna Switch?

[aipri]

Hey everyone, so I have my new head unit installed and realize that Pioneer's solution for a power antenna is to wire it to the remote power line. With this setup not only does the antenna go up no matter what source you are using, but since the pioneer screen doesn't have a hard power switch, it is always on when the car is on, therefore the antenna is up no matter what. I hardly ever listen to regular radio, but I don't want to disconnect the antenna altogether. Has anyone wired in a switch to control it? Maybe add it next to the window switches? If so how is it done? Thanks

[David T]

Most heads have a sense line to control other things like amps and power antennas. Recheck the docs. You can add a switch if necessary. How often you think you will need it will determine how accessible it needs to be. On the stock units the antenna is always up when the head is on even if you are listening to cassettes (not the radio). You need to be able to control the antenna just in case you want to go through a car wash. If you don't want to put the switch by the window switches you can stick it in the console somewhere else or behind the driver by the relay. Or even in the headliner.

[aipri]

Hi David, yeah the sense line is what I was referring to. The major problem I have is that the pioneer screen I'm using sends power to that line as soon as I turn the car ok whether the screen is on or not. And when you turn the screen "off" the line remains hot. So it appears a switch would be the best solution unless I disconnect the antenna altogether.


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[vwdmc16]

I have mine on the amp signal wire to a relay in the antenna. Goes up with radio power up no matter if its on fm Bluetooth iPod or sd card. Always retracts when the radio or car is turned off.

[Chris4099]

Mine is the same way, doesn't matter the source selected it will have the antenna up unless the stereo is completely turned off. Since I mostly listen to radio, that's fine. But if you do want to change that, get this switch from DMCH:
http://store.delorean.com/p-7040-onoff-switch.aspx
It goes in place of one of the blanks by the window switches. The antenna wire also goes right by there under the center console. So just cut the wire and put the switch in-line. With it off, the antenna stays down. Flip the switch on and it will go up with the stereo.

[David T]

Mine is the same way, doesn't matter the source selected it will have the antenna up unless the stereo is completely turned off. Since I mostly listen to radio, that's fine. But if you do want to change that, get this switch from DMCH:
http://store.delorean.com/p-7040-onoff-switch.aspx
It goes in place of one of the blanks by the window switches. The antenna wire also goes right by there under the center console. So just cut the wire and put the switch in-line. With it off, the antenna stays down. Flip the switch on and it will go up with the stereo.

If you search around you will probably find a module you can put in line with the power to the head. It can sense when the head is on and drawing current and turn other things on, in effect, becoming the sense line. That would be the way to go if you want automatic. Even if you wire in a switch you should use ignition power so when you turn the car off the antennae will go down so you don't have to remember to lower the antennae all the time.

[aipri]

That switch at DMCH I think is exactly what I am looking for. The Pioneer in dash screen I'm using is always putting out current, even when it is "off" which will cause the antenna to stay up whenever the car is on. Since I hardly ever listen to the radio this is a waste, with that switch I can choose to put the antenna up myself should I need to use the AM/FM for some reason.

[vwdmc16]

But power antennas look so cool coming out of the 1/4 panel vent. Its so 80s!

[TTait]

I'm not sure I follow how the display is wired in, but it sounds like a wiring issue in that interface. If you are saying that the display is feeding power backwards into the antenna switch wire, that can be solved easily by installing a diode in line.

A dioide is essentially a one way valve for electricity. Allow me to illustrate.

I have a back up camera installed, which taps off the reverse light power to switch on the camera - standard configuration for that type of an option. I wanted to also be able to switch the camera on at will without being in reverse, so I can also supply power to the camera via a DMC switch in the center console. The risk there is that if I turned on the power to the camera via the switch, it would also feed the reverse light circuit and turn on the back up lights. Don't want that. The solution is to install a diode that lets power flow in to the camera from the backup lights, but prevents power from the camera the other way into the lights.

Might not help at all. In that case, the aforementioned center console switches work well, but they are easy to bump.