Post by n2audio on Feb 14, 2011 13:08:06 GMT -5
This has turned out to be quite the little headache and I can't think of a better place to vent.
If you don't want to read my venting scroll to the bottom for the solution I came to.
We have a high mileage '99 LTD.
It has (had) the pwr antenna, which hasn't worked since we owned it. It received fine, but there was no power function, and it wouldn't stay extended for long. Every few days after it collapsed back down to half it's normal ht we had to stretch it back out.
I tried to repair it - no progress. The motor never engaged - even when I tried to power it directly for testing purposes.
Not too long ago my wife finally caught it on something and broke it off right at the base. So our FM reception was significantly reduced, I guess the diversity antenna was picking up some FM, but our AM was gone.
My plan was to find an oem manual replacement. Through car-part.com I found one for $50 shipped. OWWWWWCH! But I was willing to pay for the RIGHT fit. New was about $90.
Anyway, the antenna showed up - wasn't happy with the condition in general especially considering the price, but still would have been happy if it installed correctly.
It didn't take long for me to find the "made in china" label. From what I could tell it was a POS USED walmart replacement I got stuck for $50 on!
Anyway - using some pieces and parts from the auto antenna base I was able to get it to install ok physically. Then spent a good bit of time taping the new cable to the old to draw it into the interior and route it to the HU.
Eventually got it all the way I wanted it ---- NO reception! GAAAH!
A few days later I took another 1/2 hour making sure the ground to the body was good. Still no luck.
So -- $50 out the door. YAY!
SOLUTION:
What I ended up doing was picking up an amplified interior glass mount antenna which I found at advance auto for $18 (with a $5 discount code "big5"). shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Glass-Mount-Antenna-Metra_6050000-P_N3531_A|GRP2021____
Installation was relatively straightforward.
The antenna mounts with adhesive right behind the rearview mirror. It has a braided ground strap that I connected to a bolt inside the overhead lighting housing. Then I ran the wiring inside the ceiling panel to the driver's a-pillar, pulled the trim and ran it down to the door jamb and ran it behind the weather stripping to the kick panel, then above the pedals to the radio.
At the radio you have the obvious connection to the antenna plug, but there's also a power wire (for the antenna's amplifier) that has to be connected to a switched source. I just used a squeeze type tap-in wire connector to the blue wire coming out of the HU. www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103500
Reception is great.
I could repeat the whole process in under an hour, but 1 hr to 1-1/2hr would probably cover it for the average wrench turner.
If you don't want to read my venting scroll to the bottom for the solution I came to.
We have a high mileage '99 LTD.
It has (had) the pwr antenna, which hasn't worked since we owned it. It received fine, but there was no power function, and it wouldn't stay extended for long. Every few days after it collapsed back down to half it's normal ht we had to stretch it back out.
I tried to repair it - no progress. The motor never engaged - even when I tried to power it directly for testing purposes.
Not too long ago my wife finally caught it on something and broke it off right at the base. So our FM reception was significantly reduced, I guess the diversity antenna was picking up some FM, but our AM was gone.
My plan was to find an oem manual replacement. Through car-part.com I found one for $50 shipped. OWWWWWCH! But I was willing to pay for the RIGHT fit. New was about $90.
Anyway, the antenna showed up - wasn't happy with the condition in general especially considering the price, but still would have been happy if it installed correctly.
It didn't take long for me to find the "made in china" label. From what I could tell it was a POS USED walmart replacement I got stuck for $50 on!
Anyway - using some pieces and parts from the auto antenna base I was able to get it to install ok physically. Then spent a good bit of time taping the new cable to the old to draw it into the interior and route it to the HU.
Eventually got it all the way I wanted it ---- NO reception! GAAAH!
A few days later I took another 1/2 hour making sure the ground to the body was good. Still no luck.
So -- $50 out the door. YAY!
SOLUTION:
What I ended up doing was picking up an amplified interior glass mount antenna which I found at advance auto for $18 (with a $5 discount code "big5"). shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Glass-Mount-Antenna-Metra_6050000-P_N3531_A|GRP2021____
Installation was relatively straightforward.
The antenna mounts with adhesive right behind the rearview mirror. It has a braided ground strap that I connected to a bolt inside the overhead lighting housing. Then I ran the wiring inside the ceiling panel to the driver's a-pillar, pulled the trim and ran it down to the door jamb and ran it behind the weather stripping to the kick panel, then above the pedals to the radio.
At the radio you have the obvious connection to the antenna plug, but there's also a power wire (for the antenna's amplifier) that has to be connected to a switched source. I just used a squeeze type tap-in wire connector to the blue wire coming out of the HU. www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103500
Reception is great.
I could repeat the whole process in under an hour, but 1 hr to 1-1/2hr would probably cover it for the average wrench turner.
sold it at 218k
