I'm not an audio expert but i'm learning ... I recently paid 2grand for a completely redone audio setup, 2 12" subs boxed, 1k watts total, coaxial interior ...

Anways the shop that installed them said that it's "normal" for my antenna to be up "ALL the time", when the more I look into it, it should only be up when the radio function is being used on the Pioneer P8600MP head unit.

Now, I talked to the guys who install at circuit city, and they said that there's a power antenna connector that they should have hooked it up to, while it's probably connected to the radio. The documentation for installing isn't clear enough for me to present a case, however i'm displeased that I have to turn off the radio to go through a carwash. The original bose system had an antenna that lowered when the radio function wasn't in use ...

Thanks,

KIK
www.cardomain.com/id/kik16

 

I have the same problem....and I hate it too. Looking for answers...

 

There are two leads for the power antenna in the stock harness. If the aftermarket radio has a seperate lead in powering the antenna only when the radio is on, then it will work. If not, the the antenna will always remain up whenever the headunit is on. In your case, it sounds like your Pioneer has this option. I would take it back and tell them to hook it up correctly.

 

If I remember correctly, a long time ago someone started a thread similar to this and Pioneer HUs were specifically mentioned as NOT having the option for the power antenna. If this is the case, I would recommend you install a simple toggle or push-button switch inline with the power antenna wire so you can control when the antenna goes up and when it doesn't.

Tony

 

What he said, I installed my ebay power antenna, and it goes on/off/on when I start my car because I ghetto rigged it...I just left it down and unplugged...but I'm gonna put a switch on it because it doesn't get very good reception in the down position

 

This is one of the reasons I am returning this exact headunit & am keeping my Alpine 7949/PXA-H600 combo. The installation manual/sheet states that if you have an amplifier or power antenna to connect both of these to the same wire (blue), so no getting around this problem through the headunit. The toggle switch sounds like the way to go. I hardly ever listen to the radio so this is un-needed wear and tear on the power antenna motor.

 

Yeah, I think the toggle switch is the only way around this. My Pioneer HU does the exact same thing

drew

 

On an aftermarket headunit the blue/white lead is the amp turn on, and will supply 12v whenever you have the headunit on, and the blue lead is the power ant. lead, and will only supply 12v when the tuner is being used. As stated before, Pioneer only has a blue/white amp turn-on lead.

By the way, Circuit City sucks.