Installing a new head unit into a bose equipped FD and everything went great but wondering about the antennas. There are two female plugs that were connected to the old system. The new head unit has one antenna plug. Do you just connect one of the females or is there a two into one adapter or something?

Doesn't the FD have two antennas - the power antenna and one integrated into the defroster? I'm guessing thats why there are two plugs. Any problems with just connecting the one?

 

Just to answer your question quickly, just plug it into the one that fits and it will be fine, that is what i did to mine and it works great.
Thomas

 

quick answers rock, thanks

 

The larger of the two is the power antenna on the rear fender. Use it. You will need a male to male adaper cable, about 2-3 ft would be nice.

The smaller of the two is the rear hatch glass antenna for the "diversity" system. On units that can use it, the effect would be to reduce FM fading. My Alpine system works just fine with the power antenna only.

 

Where the heck did you guys get your male to male cables!?!?!? I've had 2 places (circuit city, worldwide stereo) tell me they don't exist. Best buy and pep boys doesn't have them. So far no luck on line. share with me the secret link!

 

never mind. i found the link somewhere around here

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-k0qS4aC...50&I=12040UV42

 

Yes, they are hard to find. I purchased the ends and made my own.

 

Yep; simple. Go to Radio Shack or another real electronics store and tell them you need two Motorola plugs (this is the syle of plug on the antenna cable). Connect the two plugs together with a short length of coaxial cable and you're all set.

 

i dont like how the car looks with the antenna up, so i am gonna go to radio shack and get the 2 motorola plugs and make my own adapter so i can just use the antenna in the window.

thanks guys this helped solve a little problem that i have been trying to fix, because i unhooked my power antenna, so now i can have good reception.

Thomas

 

I don't think you'll find the small plug - I've never seen one that size before. I'm sure it's a "standard", just one few use. Also, reception from that antenna (hatch glass) will be poor. It's intended as a "filler" of signal for the "real" antenna.

"The nice thing about standards is there are so many to choose from!"

 

I didn't like the look of the power antenna either, and I usually listen to my iPod in the car anyway, not the radio, but I wanted to be able to listen to the radio to check the weather, traffic, etc. I took off the plastic piece inside the hatch the hides the power antenna motor and found the wire that carries the signal to the motor to move up or down. I cut it and spliced each end to two wires that I routed from a switch installed within the driver's reach. When I'm driving I just keep the switch off. When I need to listen to the radio, a flip of the switch brings it up.

 

In bringing this thread back, any reason why this wouldn't work to keep the diversity system intact? I know this is a minor thing but I am a perfectionist and want to do this right 1 time only.

http://www.pozitiveconnections.com/image2/mot1m2f.jpg

If I by this and simply terminate the end of the RCA cables from the stock dual anntenna cables with Motorola conectors and plug them into the Y, then I would have both diversity and standard antenna operable on my aftermarket Head Unit, No?

 

Aftermarket headunits cannot process the signals to make the diverse system work, only the stock unit. I don't know of any aftermarkets made that use the system either.

 

i dunno i hooked up both to my aftermarket unit and it has much better signal quality, i don't think that a specific radio has a special reciever card in it, if you think about how RF works then you would know why this is true.. to much to explain at the moment, however in theroy it should work on any radio

 

Just to update the thread, I ordered from Crutchfield and they included the harness and DIN tools for free with the purchase. I found out the antenna needed the male-to-male adapter and the called them, since all accessories are included. Support was great and they mailed me one for free. It's also cheaper than Newegg if you want to buy one:

Metra 40-UV42 Antenna Cable Coupler Joins two antenna cables with female Motorola connectors at Crutchfield.com

I paid $89.99 for my stereo, so it's a killer deal since they throw in all the accessories.