Temporarily disabling antenna motor function

[CCCXXVis]

I removed the stock HU from my 1987 325is and replaced it with a Pioneer DEH-6300, I rewired the speakers and removed the stock amp (the amp was missing one of the two mounting bolts, I found the source of a rattle)

I mainly listen to an iPod or now a 8GB stick, (It sticks out of the deck about a 1/4", hardly noticable and will not get in the way and break off in the deck). I do miss the WB! I have a handheld HAM radio if I feel the need to hear the weather.

I wondered why I never disabled the antenna, why have the antenna going up and down for no reason, wearing it out, since it is not being used! I decided to put a STSP switch to interrupt the siganl from the HU to tell the antenna to operate. I put the switch next to the chime under the steering wheel to keep it out of the way.

Now when I am listening to music other than the radio the antenna stays down! Much better! When the antenna is needed, flip the switch and up it goes.

Cheers!

[Ceeker]

cool! but to be honest... you will never wear out that antenna motor EVER! lol the main thing that goes with them is the antenna mast. they seize, then snap inside. the motor fails only if the antenna mast is stuck for a long enough time and when the motor gets really hot due to resistance it will finally fail - usually accompanied by the circuit board going first.

[StereoInstaller1]

just wire a window circuit breaker in, makes a great antenna kill switch

[Ceeker]

just wire a window circuit breaker in, makes a great antenna kill switch

that's a neat and factory looking idea! :-)

[TurboJake]

Or buy a deck that has seperate antenna and subwoofer power signal wires.

Wire the Blue wire to the amp. And the Blue/white wire to the antenna. Problem solved.

Bam. Ipod, Aux, USB = antenna down. Radio = antenna up.

[StereoInstaller1]

My only bitch with Pioneer is that they do not have the dedicated amp turn on wire.