[GTOEARL]

66 Gto rear electric antenna
As you know a replacement rear antenna is a lot of money if you can find it. I bought one of these aftermarket ones that you may seen on eBay. Having trouble getting it to work it might have something to do with the wiring to the switch. Can anybody out there help me with this issue. Does power come from the switch?I’m not sure what the two wires on the harness coming from the switch function.

[george kujanski]

Hey Earl: these typically require a power wire (red) from a circuit that is live when the key (and radio) are on, a local ground typically to sheet metal (black) and a trigger wire from the radio, green on your antenna, ( supplied on a modern replacement radio or a separate switch which was used back in the day). When the trigger wire has +12 volts, the antenna will rise and come to a stop. When =12 is removed from the trigger wire, the antenna will come down and stop. A modern replacement radio has a separate trigger wire supplied from the radio.

I did the same thing to my '67, it didn't have a hole for the standard antenna so the rear was easier to do.

george

[GTOEARL]

Thanks George for your response. What you’ve explained is exactly what I did. As you know the rear harness has two wires. If I hook the trigger wire from the new antenna to that it seems to power up the switch on the dash. But it’s kind of weird. It keeps running even when I put it back into the neutral position. But when I’m more concerned about is that the antenna does not rise. The motor just spins. I’m thinking if I hook that trigger wire to a pigtail and connected to the two wire connection coming from the radio maybe that will work. Any further thoughts. Thanks

[george kujanski]

Ok, first thing, this is replacing a previous power antenna? In the meantime, let me review my wiring diags.

George

[GTOEARL]

Yes George you are right it’s replacing an existing factory equipped power antenna rear. The switch is on the dash with the harness going underneath the backseat into the trunk attached to the antenna line. It’s a two wire harness. From what I’ve discovered the factory antenna motor Received the 12 V via those two wires one being up and one being down for the antenna. In other words the switch on the dash is powered with 12 V and it runs it to the motor in the back depending on if you push left or right on the switch, upper down with the antenna. Unfortunately these aftermarket ones have to be powered 12 V all the timeAs you probably know. So that trigger wire Has to be powered up for the antenna to go up. When the power is released from the trigger wire the antenna goes down... ... So the factory switch cannot be used in this case. My plan is to put the trigger wire wire to the 12 V wire on the antenna and run that wire underneath the car to my fuse box, a keyed on fuse... that way when I get in the car and turn the ignition switch to start the car the antenna will go up and stay up as the key will remain in the on position. When I get to my Destiination and turn the car off it removes 12 V from the antenna and the antenna will go down.
I don’t take all the credit for this discovery as I had a long conversation with one of our bloggers Scott. Thank you Scott.

[george kujanski]

Just to be clear: to operate the aftermarket unit, the red wire needs to have power when the key is on. The trigger wire gets 12 V to raise and and 0 volts (nothing) to lower. The trigger wire should be a separate circuit from the power (red wire).
If both are connected to a circuit that has 12v when the key is on, it may raise but not lower correctly. To lower, the red wire needs 12V on while the trigger wire goes to zero. Maintain power to the red wire until the antenna is fully down.

I hope that clarifies things.

george

[GTOEARL]

Thanks George I do understand what you’re saying. But let me ask you this. To test the theory while it was mounted in the trunk and I had power to the red wire and the black wire was to ground, I took the green wire and touched the power wire and the antenna went up. When I released the green wire from the power wire the antenna went down. So if the green wire and the red wire are Splicedtogether and I run that to a keyed on circuit on the fuse box, it should work As I just explained, removing the Green wire from the red.

How would I wire this up using your Idea.

Thanks very much for your input.

[Scott Thelander]

oh boy
red to in line fuse to the battery + on fuse box ... gives it full time power at the antenna
green to the ignition or AUX on fuse box .... and it should go up and down turning the key on and off....
put a toggle in the middle of the green and you can make it go up and down when the key is on...by cutting power
to the antennas UP side of the relay the antenna will go down
or
run em both to hot with fuses and the toggle still in the green wire and it will work up and down without the key

Scott

[GTOEARL]

Thanks Scott. I guess I had it kind of mixed up in my head here. LOL again thank you George and thank you Scott. I guess with your last paragraph Scott is what I was actually doing when I was touching the green wire to the hot red wire. Basically I had red and green together and removing the green acted like the switch which lowered the antenna after removing it.

[GTOEARL]

Well here we go again. Update on my project of the electric Antenna. Called the tech-support line for the manufacture of the antenna I bought. Seems he’s very familiar with classic cars rear antenna switches. As I think he called it a reverse power issue. Anyway to try and make a long story short he said to wire the system in with a latching relay. I guess what this does is allow your factory switch to activate the relay to open and close power while maintaining power in the opposition. Little confusing for me but any thoughts on the issue. Saw a couple videos on latching relays and it can get very confusing... At any rate I would love to keep the factory switch operational.
George and Scott you guys are great so helpful

[ftwmlp]

Don't know if this will be of any help, but this is a snip from an electronic version of a shop manual dealing with the electric antenna

Mike Pearson

[GTOEARL]

Thank you for the picture.. It is interesting to study and does answer a few questions I had...
my goal is to get this after market electric antenna to work with my factory switch. I am working on the idea of a latching relay to hold the circuit open after the factory switch is activated. This is necessary because as you may know the factory switch is somewhat of a spring switch. You move it to the up position or down position but when you let go it go it returns to the neutral position. Therefore the latching Relay , I understand , allows the circuit to remain connected after the switch is released. If that makes sense. I’m on a steep learning curve so I’m learning every day more and more. Thanks to all that have helped me and responded to this post.

[george kujanski]

EarL: try this: The way it works is: first, the existing switch probably works by connecting power to the OEM motor , one wire connects to 12v, the other to batt neg (ground). antenna goes up. When the switch goes to the down position, the voltage on the two wire is reversed, forcing the motor to go down.

The attached sketch uses the motor UP wire, a standard Bosch relay, and two 1N4001 (or similar) diodes. the way it works is:

1. switch in off position...nothing happens
2. switch goes to UP position, the relay pulls in, the N.O. (normally open contact gets power from the acc circuit, trigger wire gets power, and the relay gets power to it's coil thru the top diode.
3 switch is released, no change, the relay is latched on, antenna stays up.
4. switch to DOWN position...no change.... the DOWN wire is not used in this case.

The antenna will go down when power to the accessory circuit is removed.....but the red wire to the antenna should be connected to a circuit like the courtesy lights, so it has power all the time, i.e. the motor needs a power source to run when the key is off.

George

[GTOEARL]

Thank you George for the detailed explanation. I’m thinking of using your schematic. Couple questions though. I suppose I could run the power for the motor to my trunk light circuit. It will get full-time power... and does the diode act as a latching relay wood? I suppose it’s cheaper to buy the standard Bosch relay and put the diode in then try to find an Inexpensive latching relay late wood work.

Basically what you’re telling me is that when I put the switch in the down position it will release the connection thereby bringing the antenna down.?

As Scott suggested, taking the antenna apart and removing the relay or jumping it was unfortunately something I didn’t feel comfortable with. Whenever I take something apart it seems to blow up and I can’t get it back together. LOL although I really appreciate Scott‘s help, he has a lot of knowledge in electric antennas.

Anyway that Bosch relay and diode, can I impose upon you to find me one online and forward it to me. When it comes to that kind of electrical circuitry I’m not experienced in it. Although I feel very comfortable in the wiring process.

Thank you so very much George for taking the time to help me with this.

[george kujanski]

I drew it up using a std relay which is easier to find.

No, putting the switch in the down position will do nothing. That wire is not used. The antenna will go down when you turn off the key. That is how most newer antennas and aftermarket antennas work.

George

[GTOEARL]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

I drew it up using a std relay which is easier to find.

No, putting the switch in the down position will do nothing. That wire is not used. The antenna will go down when you turn off the key. That is how most newer antennas and aftermarket antennas work.

George

Well I guess I’m still a little confused. Please bear with me. As I explained I want to use the factory switch on the dash. That switch is what I would call a spring switch. That is when you move it to the up position and let go it will spring back to the center position. Are you saying that the diode will act as a latching relay wood to hold the connection when that switch springs back to the center position? in your diagram are you assuming I’m using that switch? as you know the factory switch has three wires. Up, dwn and center wire is 12 volt feed to the switch... is that 12 seed where the relay is getting its power? That is what I’m seeing on your schematic I believe.

[GTOEARL]

Originally Posted by GTOEARL

Well I guess I’m still a little confused. Please bear with me. As I explained I want to use the factory switch on the dash. That switch is what I would call a spring switch. That is when you move it to the up position and let go it will spring back to the center position. Are you saying that the diode will act as a latching relay wood to hold the connection when that switch springs back to the center position? in your diagram are you assuming I’m using that switch? as you know the factory switch has three wires. Up, dwn and center wire is 12 volt feed to the switch... is that 12 seed where the relay is getting its power? That is what I’m seeing on your schematic I believe.

Update with pics

[GTOEARL]

Studied the schematic further and understand that you’re saying. I don’t really care if find need to use the down side of the button and turn off the ignition will bring it down that’s fine. But if I am right and correct me if I’m wrong I I’m using the up side of the switch to bring the antenna up.? And the power is coming through that switch to operate the switch and the relay to the trigger wire onto the motor...

Again I get apologizing for my ignorance... and I’m sorry for all the questions but I want to get this completely clear in my mind. Thanks again George. If you could answer my questions in the last couple responses I think I might have it clear.

[GTOEARL]

Another quick question. I’m not familiar with the symbols in your schematic. I figured the left symbol indicates the diode and the direction of travel on the current. What does the top symbol mean similar symbol as the diode.? Thank you very much for all your help.

[GTOEARL]

Hi again George. I’m about ready to order the parts that I listed above. Can you confirm if they are the correct parts? And in your schematic I think you have sketched out 2 diode locations...Can you confirm that. Thanks again and sorry to bother you with so many stupid questions.