jcgunn

I have an 03 Vert with the OEM power antenna. I added a Pioneer 8200BT a couple of years ago. Most of the time I listen to podcasts on a USB chip or music on the unit’s internal SD card memory—so 90% of the time there is no reason for the power antenna to be raised. So here is how you keep the functionality of the power antenna and have it raise only when you want:
1. Pull back the carpet near the antenna (it’s velcroed down)
2. Cut the PINK wire and solder a wire to each end you cut (I used 16ga. two strand speaker wire with heavy insulation)
3. Run the two wires to wherever you want to mount the switch (you could put it in the cubby, or run it to the ash tray or center console)
4. I chose to mount the switch next to my GPS power switch where the cigarette lighter was in the ashtray.
5. You will have to remove the waterfall, center console and radio bezel to run the wires
6. I fabbed up a plate out of .032 aluminum to mount the two switches and used a black trim screw and epoxy to attach to the ash tray plastic.
7. Check to make sure everything works before putting the console back together…
With this mod, the H/U works as advertised, and I get radio reception on local stations even with the antenna down. When I want to listen to the Baseball game on the radio. I just flip the toggle up and the antenna raises.

markcz

Nice

If you want to take it one step farther, many aftermarket HU have a separate 'antenna control' wire that is only hot when it's playing AM/FM source. If you use that wire on the coil end of a relay and properly wire the relay contacts the same way as your manual switch, then it would all be automatic.

aerovette99

Great Post!!! I still need some advice with this situation!!
I have a Pioneer AVH-P3200BT head unit that operated the antenna perfectly. I could turn the source off and the antenna would go down. I added an AVIC-U220 navigation unit and the amps no longer turn off when I turn the headunit off because the navigation still needs the amps to be heard, so the antenna NEVER goes down unless I turn the key off.
I am installing a SPST pushbutton switch in my armrest.

I have cut the pink wire and run the antenna side of the cut wire to a pushbutton switch in my armrest and I was going to tap into the blue/white wire from my Pioneer aftermarket headunit (amp/power antenna wire) at my last amp (I have 4 connected to that wire) and hook it to the other side of the pushbutton switch. If I do this, what will I do with the other cut side of the pink wire??? Can it just be taped off or does it need to go to the other half of the switch.
I figured if I pushed another wire into the remote-on on the last amplifier and connected it to the pushbutton switch that I would be ok, but I'm not sure if the antenna will go up and down when I push the switch (same as a toggle)
Advice????

markcz

The way I'm reading the schematic it looks like the orange wire powers the motor and the dark green (amp remote from new HU is connected here) is what controls the direction that the antenna goes.

I believe if you leave the orange wire as is and put the switch inline on the dark green wire before the relay that would result in...

switch on = antenna up if radio is on

switch off = antenna down, radio status does not matter

jcgunn

I'll defer to Mark on his idea for (he's the expert). But, if you cut the pink wire and don't complete that circuit with a switch, I don't think that the antenna will go up.

aerovette99

I received some great advice on the matter.
Since I have a Pioneer that only has one wire for both the antenna AND the amps, I need to use the remote from the last amp to power the new switch and hook the other lead from the switch to the pink on the antenna side. I'll leave the other side of the pink dormant. The antenna will still be getting 12v+ and ground from the uncut wires, I am now just allowing the switch to serve as the manual power supply for the antenna!!
Thanks for the post!!!