considdering antenna retraction switch

[lunarhighway]

my curent car came with an electric opperated telescope areal... a bit old fashioned, but at least it only extends when i need it, or it should als for some dumb reason it extends when both the radio or CD player is playing and it retracts when the unit is in stand by or full off.

what i considder doing is is use one of the unused button slots in the dash to install a switch to retract the areal when its not needed... i imaging there's a wire running to the antenna wich tells it when it should extend so would simply interrupting this wire cause it to retract? or would there be any way to have it know when the radio or CD was playing automatically?

anyone ever did something similar?

[wagonman76]

Probably not very easily. Any circuit to switch between radio and CD is probably embedded in a circuit board in the radio. I would just add a switch in the antenna power line.

[Tony Raine]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

Probably not very easily. Any circuit to switch between radio and CD is probably embedded in a circuit board in the radio. I would just add a switch in the antenna power line.

+1 on that. then you can just leave it off (down) all the time. you should still be able to pick up closer radio stations too

[Clev]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

Probably not very easily. Any circuit to switch between radio and CD is probably embedded in a circuit board in the radio. I would just add a switch in the antenna power line.

I use an FM transmitter to listen to my MP3 player, so I almost never need the antenna. I simply unplugged it in the trunk. I bought a switch, but then realized that I always listen to MP3's or CD's, so I just left it disconnected instead. (I can reconnect it in about 30 seconds; it's behind the plastic trunk liner directly under the antenna in my Accord.)

[dremd]

Not that it matters much; but my grandmothers old Diesel Caddilac had a switch on the dash to retract the radio antenna. I think it was actually UP, Auto, or Down . . .

Typically there are 3 wires heading to a power antenna (unless it is amplified). Power, Ground and signal. If you put a switch on the Signal wire it will stay down. Take a look at an aftermarket radio wiring diagram for your car to locate the correct wire to switch.

[TrikeKid]

If I were you, I'd ditch the external antenna altogether. My truck has had body panels swapped around on the front and somewhere along the line it ended up without a place to put an antenna on the front fender. I bought a universal antenna when I put my new head unit in, and it sits on my dash currently. I pick up every radio station that I can in any other rig or with either of my home stereos. I'll come up with a more permanent solution at some point, but for the time being, it works as well as having it outside.

[dremd]

Another Idea. You could use an in glass antenna, if I remember correctly you can get on that sticks on from jc whitney. I'm using the secondary antenna in the supra now (on glass) and just plugged the hole in the spoiler. Works just fine.