Diversity antenna- reception fix for aftermarket hu

[12guns]

I just swapped out my factory HU with my old Sony CDX-GT150, and didn't bother to run the second, smaller antenna. Unit & reception quality works fine in NYC. I haven't done a road trip with it yet.

But after reading the page, I found out that the part I would need, if I were to go that route is the: METRA Ltd 40-UV43 Motorola Antenna Y-adapter + Metra 40-GM12 GM Antenna Adapter (Barbless) (Upsizes the smaller antenna cable to larger size)

There is a dealer on amazon that sells both for ~$13.00 total + SH.

So many unanswered questions here! Larry, where did you go? You're much smarter than me and I need help! I'm installing an aftermarket system soon, which will have ONE antenna input. My JBL system will have TWO antennas to plug in. It appears I can't just leave one loose and have good reception. So, the above y adapter should work, but are our plugs different sizes?
Larry, if your still out in cyber space somewhere, can you give us dummies a walk through of what you did? Maybe with a pic or two? I know that's alot to ask, but worth a try. I may try the nissan adapter mentioned earlier, looks like it would work as long as the plugs are the same size. Thanks!

 

[A/V1]

I always had crappy reception before doing this mod. I wound up using the Metra 40-UV43 Motorola Antenna Y-adapter
Amazon.com: METRA Ltd 40-UV43 Motorola Antenna Y-adapter: Electronics
and then I just cut the small crappy odd-sized Toyota antenna plug off and soldered on a regular sized motorola plug. Works great and my reception is much better!

 

[12guns]

Awesome, I bought a pigtail I can hack up. If I can find a "y" adapter today I'll be able to install my new head unit...which I haven't decided on!

 

[asnatlas]

I just ordered the METRA Ltd 40-UV43 Motorola Antenna Y-adapter and Scosche Mda-B Micro/Delco Antenna Adapter Tip I will try to install Monday or Tues of next wk and let you know how it works out...

 

[Ron Helmuth]

Not trying to butt in on a largely 4th gen related thread here- but YOTATECH member Rockslide did an excellent writeup on this situation oriented to 3rd gen 4Runner owners.

I can't be sure the part numbers are exactly the same and so on, I've never had a 4th gen.- but the writeup may better explain the situation and the fix.

Here is the link and I hope this helps someone coming along on search:

Guide on How to Combine Both Front & Rear Antennas into One on an Aftermarket Stereo - YotaTech Forums

 

[StevieT4R]

I just installed the T1809 and was wondering the same thing. I just plugged in the black antenna - so far so good. The AM could be better, but overall not bad. I was going to get the METRA Y, etc, but interested to set what you think first.

 

[MaliciousClout]

Ok, so we are talking about 2 solutions right?

1- find power wire to stock antenna and NOT using the smaller of the two antennas- Right?

2- Using Y-adapter and utilizing the 2 antennas they would be connected to that are already imbedded in the glass


My questions are
WHICH WIRE DO I NEED TO CONNECT POWER TO?
Has there been wire a color identified?
Will it work if I no longer have the stock JBL amp hooked up?

LARRY WHERE ARE YOU!?

 

[mott768]

I have a 2010 Highlander and have the same problem but mine is the oposit, when I had my kenwood HU installed they connected the larger antenna and they did connect the power wire for the antenna. I had no reception since this install (oct 2010), I got the y adapter and the scosche MDAB adapter, well after connecting the Y adapter with the MDAB adapter on the small antena I still had no reception, so I decieded to try the small ant lead with the MDAB connected pluged that into my Kenwood dnx9960 and now have reception, its not great, not as good as the stock hu, but now at least I have some local radio stations. I was thinking of getting the HD radio ad on for my hu but if the reception isn't good wouldnt that affect the HD radio too? It's so fustrating trying to find and get answers...

 

[aadame84]

attach the antenna wire from your harness adapter to the remote wire on your hu that solves it. that all i did.

 

[brentkend]

Found a fix

This fix This was for a 2003-09 Toyota 4Runner JBL Sound System (I have a 2003 4Runner)

I found that one of the pins (the one connected to the blue with white stripe wire) in the Scosche TA07SR wiring harness was in the wrong position. It was in position 7 (which corresponds to the "Mute" pin in the Toyota harness). I extracted the pin and moved it to position 13 (which corresponds to the "Power Antenna" pin in the Toyota harness). After I moved the pin, the FM reception improved significantly and I went from zero AM reception to getting full reception.

The aftermarket stereo I used only had 1 female slot for the antenna, which fit the larger of the 2 antenna plugs. I did not plug in the smaller antenna, which I guess may affect the diversity, but reception is fine without it.

A link to the Toyota harness wiring diagram is provided below.

2003-2004 Toyota 4Runner with JBL without Navigation Wiring Information

I didn't have a pin extractor, but carefully pushed the pin out with a small screwdriver.

 

[mtnperegrine]

Results negligible

Just throwing this bit of info out there. I have a 2002 4Runner and put in a Alpine head unit a couple years back. My favorite station comes in but causes the speakers to distort when bass hits at low levels, almost like blown speakers. Very annoying when I don't feel like listening at high volume. So glad to find a possible solution to use both antennas, but just did this modification and actually seems to be worse now. Of course, your results may vary! Thinking of disconnecting the mast and using the window antenna by itself to see if that helps.

 

[shaxs]

Thanks for the great info here. Using the info I was able to find the parts for the y cable and the converter for the smaller plug. And I was able to supply power to the amplifier.

I used a wire tap to connect the ACC power to the amplifier wire.

 

[Robb235]

Not trying to butt in on a largely 4th gen related thread here- but YOTATECH member Rockslide did an excellent writeup on this situation oriented to 3rd gen 4Runner owners.

I can't be sure the part numbers are exactly the same and so on, I've never had a 4th gen.- but the writeup may better explain the situation and the fix.

Here is the link and I hope this helps someone coming along on search:

Guide on How to Combine Both Front & Rear Antennas into One on an Aftermarket Stereo - YotaTech Forums

Just throwing this bit of info out there. I have a 2002 4Runner and put in a Alpine head unit a couple years back. My favorite station comes in but causes the speakers to distort when bass hits at low levels, almost like blown speakers. Very annoying when I don't feel like listening at high volume. So glad to find a possible solution to use both antennas, but just did this modification and actually seems to be worse now. Of course, your results may vary! Thinking of disconnecting the mast and using the window antenna by itself to see if that helps.

So I purchased the y-connector, and the adapter plug for the diversity antenna. With just the mast antenna my reception is great. When I tried combining the rear window antenna my reception went to crap. When I tried rear window antenna only (mast antenna disconnected) radio reception was still crap. I use mast antenna only and leave the rear window antenna unplugged.

I have no idea about any power wire for the rear antenna or any amps. Does my 3rd gen even have that stuff?

 

[spazzyone]

So I purchased the y-connector, and the adapter plug for the diversity antenna. With just the mast antenna my reception is great. When I tried combining the rear window antenna my reception went to crap. When I tried rear window antenna only (mast antenna disconnected) radio reception was still crap. I use mast antenna only and leave the rear window antenna unplugged.

I have no idea about any power wire for the rear antenna or any amps. Does my 3rd gen even have that stuff?

Same thing just happened to me. All week with my new head unit it was fine on just the mast antenna. I just put in the y splitter and adapter to plug in the window antenna thinking that would just add more reception but nope. It made it 10x worse. It was actually pretty decent before with just the one. I don't listen to enough traditional radio to make diagnosing this worthwhile. Back to just the mast antenna for me.

 

[Cowboy]

Yes, he hooked up the power to it. Though as you know, only one antenna lead could be plugged into the new HU. Once I installed the Y and smaller up-sizing antenna *male* adapter into the Y adapter and that into the back of my stereo, reception improved greatly.


Do you know where the amplifier to the diversity antenna is physically located?

I ask, because on some vehicles, it is incorporated into a seperate stereo/speaker amplifier and if one was to remove that component of a stereo system, it wouldn't do anything by powering that diversity antenna power lead. See this BMW thread---
YES!! THE DIVERSITY ANTENNA problem HAS BEEN DEFEATED! see inside!

Do you know what powers the speakers on the JBL system--is it the hu or the amp in the sub? The factory sub was removed when my new system was installed....

How did you add or supply power to the diversity antenna?