Antenna Switch

[imminent_]

Disclaimer: The following is provided as a GUIDE ONLY, and neither myself nor Ozhonda take any responsibility for the outcomes of someone else doing the following. You follow these steps at your own risk!

Aim: Installing an antenna switch to give you the ultimate power over that pesky antenna which insists on going up whether you're listening to a CD or a radio...

Required: On/off Switch. I believe they're called 'Rocker' Switches.. from any autobarn/car place. Also some wire. And crimpers/solder, depending how anal you want to be with the job. Also an integra. This was done on a '97 GSI, but its a simple operation which can be done to pretty much any car.

Steps:
Basically you're installing a switch along the wire that sends voltage to the antenna to make it go up and down. On = current = antenna goes up. Off = no current = antenna goes down. Easy peasy.

You can get at the wire from a few spots. 1) from the head unit 2) somewhere between the head unit and the antenna and 3) at the antenna controls (go through the light in the boot). I chose the head unit.

I have a pioneer head unit installed, and it was installed dodgy. As you can see by the pics, the "cage" is meant to hold the head unit in place. In my case, the cage is now part of the head unit. Either way, getting it out is the easiest way to get to the area - i had to take off the little tray underneath it, then wriggled it out. It wasn't easy, but it does come out.

Some websites say its the yellow wire with the green stripe - i think this is the standard-issue colour. My head unit was different - the blue one with the white stripe. Check your head unit documentation if you're not sure which it is.

Then, basically snip the wire, and peel away some of the plastic coating and join your new wire inbetween it. I soldered mine just to make sure, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

Now's a good time to TEST the circuit and see if it works

head unit__________ _____________________antenna
existing wire ^........| |
your new wire-->.....| |
............................switch

just tap the ends of the wire together and see if it does its job.

Attach the new wire bits to your switch, then simply choose where you want the switch to go - drill holes accordingly and you're done.

Other comments
It's the most basic in wiring knowledge - and you shoudln't have any real trouble, but best off to have someone keep an eye on you if you're not sure. Also when removing panels in your car, careful not to force them too much - find all the screws and remove them. Try stick your head/feel around tighter areas to see how they're held on.

Here are the two pics. One shows the back of my head unit with the cable i had to cut (consult manual) and the second shows where i put my switch.

Project took about 30 mins to figure out what the hell i was doing, and find/get access to the wire, then 30 mins making it all look pretty. Then about 5 minutes going "antenna goes up, antenna goes down, antenna goes up, antenna goes down"

Enjoy!

[wynode]

Nice work!

[|N|]

y does off on the switch makes the ant. go down??? doesnt that just disconnect it.. ie. no power to it.. so it ll just stay there???

[z3lda]

y does off on the switch makes the ant. go down??? doesnt that just disconnect it.. ie. no power to it.. so it ll just stay there???

with the remote ant. when u turn the radio on, sends signal to the ant. for it to go up. vice versa for down. with the switch u can bypass the signal when the radiio is on.

[|N|]

with the remote ant. when u turn the radio on, sends signal to the ant. for it to go up. vice versa for down. with the switch u can bypass the signal when the radiio is on.

so this ll only work when the radio sends the signal to have the antenna to go up rite?

[z3lda]

some cd players :
when u change the CDs, it changes audio mode. goes into radio mode with no CD then back to cd mode when the CD is in, hence the reason for "imminents" antenna switch. to prevent the antenna going up then down straigh away

so if u make a turn off antenna switch and u leave it on off. when u change CD's and it goes into Radio mode, the antenna wont go up then back down in 2 seconds when the CD is in.

[|N|]

ok thx.. guess i dun need that... i ll just unplug my antennt thingy .. so ll stay down forever...

[z3lda]

ok thx.. guess i dun need that... i ll just unplug my antennt thingy .. so ll stay down forever...

LOL

or u can do it that way instead of making a swtich, by u'll never get the radio...

[|N|]

since i m well known for my dodgyness.... i think i ll keep it that way and just unplug it.... i dun use radio anyway ...
thx

[Sp3rMz]

FULLY SICK. Been looking for a way of solving that stupid antenna problem for ages now.

[HondaLva]

This is a problem with Pioneer Head units , they dont have a trigger for the radio rather the entire unit....it sux....nice work on the article....

[jl88rl]

Wow nice work on article man.