antenna doesn't work with new headunit
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Darien CT
antenna doesn't work with new headunit
i just installed a kenwood head unit in my 88 t2. i hooked it up with a wiring harness adapter and everything is ifne except the power antenna doesn't go up. i took my test light and went to check the power antenna lead. when i touched the test light to ground the antenna went up. does the antenna lead form the harness need ot be grounded to work or does it get hooked up like a normal antenna where the lead gets 12volt?
Make sure that the head unit has a "power antenna" lead. A lot of units have an "Amp on" lead, and a "Power Antenna" lead. These two do NOT do the same thing and cannot be reversed. Look at the wiring diagram of the radio, and make sure that it is the power antenna lead that is hooked up to the car's antenna wires.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Darien CT
my radio only has one output. i used it for my amp in my other 88 but my power antenna didn't work. it was permanently up. i am going to ground the antenna lead from the antenna (not the one on the radio) and see if that works. the way everyhitng is mounted though it's a big pain to get at the wiring.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Tampa, FL
I was fortunate enough to be able to have Best Buy install my Sony minidisc deck and the tech that installed it said that it took a bit longer than expected because of the antannae hookup that wasn't very typical. I think that he mentioned that some of the problem had to do with the voltage. You might want to call Best Buy installation bay and see if you can talk ur way in to an answer for free without them having to personally look at it.
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
Here's a useful answer:
The stock antenna needs to be grounded to activate. Do this using a relay. Connect the contacts of the relay in series with a ground lead leading to the antenna wire. Use the antenna/amp lead from the headunit to activate the relay (connect to coil). Takes an extra 5 minutes.
The stock antenna needs to be grounded to activate. Do this using a relay. Connect the contacts of the relay in series with a ground lead leading to the antenna wire. Use the antenna/amp lead from the headunit to activate the relay (connect to coil). Takes an extra 5 minutes.
0-60 in 15 minutes
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Camp Pendleton, CA/ Boulder, CO
Yeah, Mazda decided to go with a negative trigger antenna, but there's all sorts of write-ups on it on here somewhere
Here's one... https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=45252
Here's one... https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=45252
Last edited by benhart21; Nov 4, 2002 at 08:27 PM.
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From: Auckland, New Zealand
Originally posted by Capn' Wankel
...the tech that installed it said that it took a bit longer than expected because of the antannae hookup that wasn't very typical. I think that he mentioned that some of the problem had to do with the voltage.
...the tech that installed it said that it took a bit longer than expected because of the antannae hookup that wasn't very typical. I think that he mentioned that some of the problem had to do with the voltage.
Wire it up like this:
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