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Topic: Power Antenna being difficult

in Forum: C3 Electrical


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Power Antenna being difficult (1/7)
 7/2/11 6:49pm
gofast
Former Member

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Dunlap, IL - USA

Vette(s):
1st vette, my dream car. 1978 coupe with T-tops silver with spoilers front and back


Joined: 10/21/2006
Posts: 87

Hello All,
I installed a new aftermarket radio into the 78 last week.  Everything is working fine Except the power antenna.  Before I put the side console panels on I checked it and radio and antenna worked fine.
Put the side console on and radio works great but antenna doesn't.
Thought a connection might be the problem so got back in there and re-wired antenna connection a couple of different ways after a relay module and before it then back the way it was on the old radio (when it worked fine).
At this point I suspect a bad connection into the back of the new radio but wanted to ask if any of you have any other thoughts or suggestions.  Since you guys know everything about these cars if there is an answer it would be here, (I did go back several years on the forum but didn't find anything like this).
Thanks for any suggestions and or input.
Gofast

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Power Antenna being difficult (2/7)
 7/2/11 10:58pm
tb2k82ceLifetime Member
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Lemon Grove, CA - USA

Vette(s):
1982 C3 Collectors Edition 44000 miles, sat in the sun most of its life, My wife purchased it for me for Father's Day in 2007 from her girlfriend that had it for 19 years. It is on the road again. I'm retired but it is now my daily driver.


Joined: 10/17/2007
Posts: 2041

I'm a firm believer if you did something and something stopped working go undo it.   Now I say this with lots and lots of experience behind it.  I cannot count how many times I had to undue something.  Seriously I would take a good look at the new radio wiring diagram and make sure I have that figured out. The antenna circuit is not  hard to trace out.  You have your shop manual?
Power Antenna being difficult (3/7)
 7/3/11 7:29pm
rraider1
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Woodland, WA - USA

Vette(s):
1977 T-Top,350,Auto Black Ruby Pearl,Steeroids R&P conversion


Joined: 10/14/2003
Posts: 1165

first what is not working antenna does not go up or down or both. first check ant fuse if nothing. I beleive the way it should work is when pwr is put to the original yellow wire, antenna goes up when power is removed antenna goes down. son you need to make sure that that is how the new radio works. the antenna relay reverse the polarity to the antenna motor.

Power Antenna being difficult (4/7)
 7/10/11 11:59am
gofast
Former Member

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Dunlap, IL - USA

Vette(s):
1st vette, my dream car. 1978 coupe with T-tops silver with spoilers front and back


Joined: 10/21/2006
Posts: 87

Thanks Guys,
I had already tried all those great suggestions (a couple of them twice just to be sure).
I am back to either a bad connection on the radio or bad antenna motor.  I am taking it into a shop tomorrow to see if they can trace the problem.
Thanks for the suggestions.
GoFast

Power Antenna being difficult (5/7)
 7/10/11 10:50pm
JoeTrecca
Limited Member
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Charlottesville, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1978 Silver Anniversary L82 Previously: 1965 300hp Coupe in 1967. 1967 435hp Coupe in 1968-70. 1969 350hp T-top w/ac and all power options.


Joined: 9/3/2010
Posts: 104

The industry standard for the color of the power antenna control wire for an aftermarket radio is BLUE. This wire has 12v when the radio is on, and 0v when the radio is turned off. This blue wire should be spliced to the factory power antenna trigger wire, which was once connected to the back of the factory radio.

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Joe T
Power Antenna being difficult (6/7)
 8/13/11 4:17pm
gofast
Former Member

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Dunlap, IL - USA

Vette(s):
1st vette, my dream car. 1978 coupe with T-tops silver with spoilers front and back


Joined: 10/21/2006
Posts: 87

Found the problem, (actually the guy at the shop found it),  It was a short in how the original wiring harness had been wired up.  They had wired the blue antenna wire to the lighter and it had shorted out.  Best $30 I spent that day.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Power Antenna being difficult (7/7)
 8/13/11 4:55pm
Jaws79Lifetime Member
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Sykesville, MD - USA

Vette(s):
1979 Corvette Coupe Corvette Light Blue Midnight Blue interior Mirrored Glass T-tops


Joined: 4/27/2008
Posts: 4238

At least you're better then me! I burnt up 3 antennas before we finally ditched  the old relay system and just ran the blue wire from the new radio to control the last antenna (I guess I shouldn't have said anything). The last one to burn up shorted out so bad that it destoyed the new Optima battery! Glad you got it working!
 
Barry
 
Confused


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