Antenna - Y connection or just connect one?

[Sungod]

Hooking up my new AVIC and thought that I had researched everything until I found two antenna wires. Should I stick with the big antenna connection or should I buy a Y connector and an adapter?

 

[FireTruckGuy]

Stick with one and hook up the power wire going into the antenna.

 

[black_120]

From what I understood its for a diversity antenna. I just hooked up the big one by itself and it picked up stations just fine in my old 3rd gen. there is an adapter available though.

 

[berettashot117]

I just hooked up one, and I've never had a problem. however, If I had had the y-adaptor when I was doing my install, I would've hooked it up. but don't get me wrong, it functions just fine without it

 

[sonerick]

I used Y-adapter and in some areas, reception is better. In other areas, reception is worse. I would just stick with hooking one up.

 

[TOY2G]

your runner has an AM (amplitude modulation) and and FM (Frequency Modulation) antenna, in most cases you can just use the single FM antenna (larger one).

 

[sonerick]

your runner has an AM (amplitude modulation) and and FM (Frequency Modulation) antenna, in most cases you can just use the single FM antenna (larger one).

I'm interested in this, so I did a bit of research. It seems one plug is for the antenna built into the rear glass, while the other plug is for the antenna in one of the fender wells. Does anyone know if this is correct? TOY2G, do you know which is the AM antenna and which is the FM?

 

[FireTruckGuy]

They are both FM. Toyota uses them both to pull down the signal. The one I used had a little wire sticking out with it. I wired that in to the ignition side of the radio and never have a problem. I usually listen to XM but on occasion to listen to the Packer games I switch to FM. I pulled down the game from a radio station that was 70 miles away on my way back from X-mas.

 

[chayos00]

I bought the Y adapter, didn't notice any difference.

 

[Sungod]

I hooked up the one connection and my radio reception is not as good as it was with the factory stereo. I ran across this thread crutchfield. I didn't connect the antenna lead from my new stereo because I thought it was a power antenna now I am wondering if I should have. I really don't want to pull it out of the dash again just to connect the wire.

 

[Sungod]

So lesson learned. I wondered why PAC didn't include the black wire in their harness to attach the power antenna lead. Now I know, because that is not the purpose of the black wire. I hooked it up as it seemed to be referenced by Crutchfield and it did nothing, but oddly my stereo would not turn off when I turned off the key.

Now I am back to the drawing board. I may look into one of these metra antenna