Hello everyone. 2 days ago I complained about the lack of sensitivity on my Alpine HU

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=270841

and I found why. As you may know, there is a antenna amplifier (located in the right C-pillar) that boosts the signal coming from the rear window antenna. To make it work, you have to use the power antenna lead (acting as a remote)coming from your aftermarket HU, and connecting it to the matching wire on your harness adaptor (I found that by looking at wiring schematics of the Bose system : there is a remote turn-on for the antenna amplifier).

When I first hooked up my HU, I didn't bother about the power antenna lead since we don't have one on the 5th gen Max. But tonight I made the test, and voilą ! full of stations coming in on the FM band.

So I hope this will help some of you getting the full potential of your tuner !

Denis

 

Is there something like this for 4th gens?

 

Is this only in Max's with Bose? I have 2k SE w/o Bose, and I don't get any stations on my Alpine.(I mentioned this in the other thread)

 

It would be great if someone could make a writeup or post pictures so people know exactly how this hooks up.... having not seen what the op is talking about, its hard to envision

This would help a lot of people out though. I can report on the 4th gen within the next week when I tear my stereo apart

 

dracip,
If this works, you are da' man! I have been living with subpar reception for weeks

 

No problem, it will work too since the HU must use the same antenna booster.

 

It works very well! As I said, I couldn't catch FM stations in Montreal, about 70-80 miles from home. Now I can hear them easily .

Denis

 

I'll scan some schematics and explain how it's done. Stay tuned!

 

damn i wish i would have seen this thread earlier when i installed my headunit i ahd the same probem but figured the same solution out

sorry

-J

 

dracip, thanks for the tip. I can now listen to something else besides national public radio

 

Hello friends,
as promised, here are instructions to do this wiring task

http://maxima.cardomain.com/memberpage/256834/7

Denis

 

Very nice. Thank you very much for doing that.

Just curious, but shouldn't this be done in a normal install anyways, or do people neglect this since most cars don't have this function? I was thinking you hooked the blue wire to the actual antenna adapter... doh.

 

I normally do not connect the power antenna lead. Well, unless I am installing in a car with a power antenna. However, I'm not a professional installer, but just a garage diy guy so take what I say with a grain of salt
I have been doing this for quite a few years though.

 

I had never installed a radio before, but I had good instructions, and when I saw the power antenna lead, I left it alone. If I hadn't read the OEM radio schematics, I wouldn't have figured that out. So unless a car has just a single whip coming through the fender, maybe we will always have to use this remote wire since more and more cars have their antenna on the rear window, and they probably need some kind of signal booster because I don't think window's imprited antennas have the same gain as a vertical one (if I remember correctly, it has something to do with the body of the car). Maybe a pro installer can confirm that to us (Pearl96Max ? )

Denis

 

Can someone help me identify the correct 'blue' wire for the power antena turn on. There is a blue wire but according to this diagram, http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/audio.html but it is for the read passenger side speaker.

Thanks,
Mike

 

Forgot to mention, this is for a non-bose Max 2003.

 

Hello Mike,
your diagram shows that you have to use the green/white wire IF you want to use this wire directly by tapping or splicing it (this wire ''belongs'' to the Nissan harness). I didn't want to do this, and that's why I used a harness adaptor, like this one

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...y=L#morephotos

to avoid splicing into the Nissan harness. The blue wire I was referring to ''belongs'' to the harness adapter. In the following picture, you will see that most wires' colors are different (harness adaptor on the left, Nissan harness on the right) :

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...y=L#morephotos

The blue wire on the upper left harness is the one to use (for this harness brand) to crimp/solder to the corresponding wire on your aftermarket HU harness. For DIYers like us, the harness adaptor help make the job easier and less confusing. You can buy the harness at your local sound shop, and even Wal-Mart has it.

Denis