Radio Install Question

[HoosierSR5]

Hey guys,
I am installing an aftermarket stereo in my 2000 SR5. I just pulled the factory stereo and have a question about the connections. There are two antenna type plugs on the factory stereo, a large and small one. My new aftermarket stereo has the larger hole but not the smaller one. Can anyone tell me the function of the small plug? Here are a couple of pics. Thanks.

 

[Unner]

It's the other antenna that is built into the back glass. You don't need it with your new stereo. The OEM one would switch between the fender mounted one and the rear one to find which ever had greater signal. Some people use adapters and a Y-cable to get the two antennas into one plug so it can go into the new stereo. I chose not to do this and only run the fender mounted one and it works great.

 

[HoosierSR5]

Great. I think I will forego connecting this as well. Thanks for the quick response!

 

[Mgyver1]

It's the other antenna that is built into the back glass. You don't need it with your new stereo. The OEM one would switch between the fender mounted one and the rear one to find which ever had greater signal. Some people use adapters and a Y-cable to get the two antennas into one plug so it can go into the new stereo. I chose not to do this and only run the fender mounted one and it works great.

Do you have anymore info on this adapter? I might be interested. My power antenna normally stays down unless the signal is bad, so if I can get a better signal without having to raise my antenna as often I'd like to look in to it

 

[Mindomission]

Do you have anymore info on this adapter? I might be interested. My power antenna normally stays down unless the signal is bad, so if I can get a better signal without having to raise my antenna as often I'd like to look in to it

used this one when I hooked up my T1808. Works fine for me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002EXF10/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edit: Yes, one side is the larger diameter, the other is smaller.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Do you have anymore info on this adapter? I might be interested. My power antenna normally stays down unless the signal is bad, so if I can get a better signal without having to raise my antenna as often I'd like to look in to it

I've heard mixed reviews. At a minimum, understand that RF engineering is a lot more complicated than "now connected in parallel therefore better signal reception". It may actually degrade the signal reception.

Perhaps you can try it out and let us know.

 

[Unner]

I've heard mixed reviews. At a minimum, understand that RF engineering is a lot more complicated than "now connected in parallel therefore better signal reception". It may actually degrade the signal reception.

Perhaps you can try it out and let us know.

Yeah this was my reasoning for just going with the fender mounted one. The OEM radio would actually switch between the two antennas, whereas plugging them both into the same jack could cause some sort of issues. So far with only my Taco whip antenna I have great reception. I can pick up radio stations from Birmingham and that's about 100 miles south of me.

 

[Mindomission]

Do you have anymore info on this adapter? I might be interested. My power antenna normally stays down unless the signal is bad, so if I can get a better signal without having to raise my antenna as often I'd like to look in to it

I had my skepticism as well when I hooked up the adapter. Prior research that I had found in the forum threads didn't give me a confident consensus one way OR the other. For no more than it cost I thought I'd try it out. The reception doesn't really seem to be any better or worse than than I had with the stock unit. Just my .02

 

[HoosierSR5]

Do you have anymore info on this adapter? I might be interested. My power antenna normally stays down unless the signal is bad, so if I can get a better signal without having to raise my antenna as often I'd like to look in to it

So, how is your antenna set up to stay down unless you have a bad signal? The reason I ask is my antenna will now not raise when I turn on my radio. I installed a Kenwood and looked at some old threads and found the link below. So, I must have the "cheaper" wiring harness that came with my radio. I wish I had known about this before the install, but I will likely purchase the wiring harness that should actually go with my model. It is very irritating that Kenwood does this.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ong-aftermarket-radio-edition.html#post928624

 

[Mgyver1]

So, how is your antenna set up to stay down unless you have a bad signal? The reason I ask is my antenna will now not raise when I turn on my radio. I installed a Kenwood and looked at some old threads and found the link below. So, I must have the "cheaper" wiring harness that came with my radio. I wish I had known about this before the install, but I will likely purchase the wiring harness that should actually go with my model. It is very irritating that Kenwood does this.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ong-aftermarket-radio-edition.html#post928624

I just installed a switch for the power radio antenna. I did this back when it was a stock radio, but I put in an Alpine which has a separate power antenna hookup, so it would've been even easier.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

from Yota Tech

There are several of these issues covered in this writeup from Yota Tech's Rock Slide.

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

I did the combining of the antenna plus several years ago, installed a switch for the front power antenna, and have never looked back.

A couple of pluses that I enjoy are :

1/ Hardly ever having to raise the power antenna-my reception is fine using just the rear side glass signal and the front antenna staying down in the fender.

If I need the antenna up, I simply push a rocker switch to let it come up, once the switch is on then it will retract when the vehicle is turned off, but I hated that it went up/down every time the truck was started or shut off.

2/ No worries in car washes about breaking off a whip antenna. Some of the car washes around here use those long fabric strips that slap around at the vehicle. I see a lot of broken off antennas.

 

[infamousRNR]

I got an antenna adapter off amazon.. They are on eBay too...

It combines the two into one connection. Check my thread for a link to the Amazon item..

My radio works fine but haven't done any real tests with one or the other to verify its better or worse one way or the other

 

[HoosierSR5]

There are several of these issues covered in this writeup from Yota Tech's Rock Slide.

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

I did the combining of the antenna plus several years ago, installed a switch for the front power antenna, and have never looked back.

A couple of pluses that I enjoy are :

1/ Hardly ever having to raise the power antenna-my reception is fine using just the rear side glass signal and the front antenna staying down in the fender.

If I need the antenna up, I simply push a rocker switch to let it come up, once the switch is on then it will retract when the vehicle is turned off, but I hated that it went up/down every time the truck was started or shut off.

2/ No worries in car washes about breaking off a whip antenna. Some of the car washes around here use those long fabric strips that slap around at the vehicle. I see a lot of broken off antennas.

This does sound like a nice setup. It would be nice not to have the antenna go up/down all the time, particularly while wheelin'. At least here in Indiana we have some pretty narrow trails that are easy to get your antenna caught on a branch.

 

[56flatbed]

single vs both antennas

Replaced the stock CD/Cassette on my 2000 SR5 with a Pioneer unit. Tried the single antenna for a couple of weeks. I was losing my favorite classic station which was not the case prior to the change out. Installed the adapter (2into1) and now have my reception back to what it had been before. My antenna operates as it did when stock as the Pioneer is adapted to the original Toyota harness, thanks to Crutchfield.
Now I have to decide where to install the bluetooth microphone.