Aftermarket radio and power antenna problems

[ultimatt]

So, installed an aftermarket head unit and now have some funny operation of factory power antenna.

Turn car on with head unit off, power antenna goes up about 6 inches and then comes back down

turn head unit on - power antenna goes up

Turn head unit off - antenna does not go down

turn car off - antenna goes down...but not immediately

using a Metra 70-1761 harness

I checked the continuity on the harness for the blue wire...all good.


any ideas? Thanks.

 

[ultimatt]

looks like it has to be a problem with the new unit...wiring all good and old unit reinstalled operates fine

FYI - shout out to Crutchfield for their tech support and customer service...

Tech support on a SUNDAY!

After telling them the problem they said 99% its a problem with the new unit, shipped me out a new one and a shipping label to return the old one...

AND...they were less expensive than Amazon on this unit considering the free shipping and that they included the harness.

I don't use them for all my electronics, but I have never regretted using them for a car radio...

 

[criera]

If I'm not mistaken installing a switch on that antenna wire resolves all of those quirks. My aftermarket head unit like lots of others do, will raise the antenna whenever the hu is on, regardless of what input is used. That got old real quick for me. Installed the switch and rarely need to raise the antenna anymore.

 

[ultimatt]

If I get the new head unit and it does the same thing I will splice a switch in for the antenna...thanks..

 

[ThorInc]

Wire in a switch to control power to the antenna and be done with it. Lots of threads on here on wiring in a switch.

 

[OffRoadGuy]

Added a little switch next to CB radio and below the head unit. That switch controls antenna up and down.

 

[98OzarksRunner]

Some radios have a wire to control the amp (usually blue or blue and white - don't remember). If you use that wire, the antenna will go up whenever the unit is on. If you use the one for the antenna (the opposite of the amp wire) it will only go up when the radio is selected. My Alpine unit only powers the antenna when the tuner is selected, not CD, satellite, or aux. (That way I can still listen to satellite or CD in the woods and not worry about trashing the antenna. :music

 

[Bstrom]

I'm shopping for a CD/DVD/USB head and will be sure to test this feature before I 'button it up'. Wonder if there is a way to determine if the unit will provide this function...so few real specs on gear these days.