canammx1 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hi there. My 83zx non turbo coupe had its antenna ripped off while I was in Boise being chased by yellow Mitsubishi Lancers haha. When I bought the car it had a standard antenna. I am trying to install a aftermarket automatic antenna. I cannot figure out how to wire it up. It comes with three wires, a red, white, and black. If I put the red and white to the positive terminal on the battery and the black to the negative the antenna goes up. That is the only progress I have made. I am a complete novice at wiring. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get it wired up. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Do you have an after market head unit? Most of them come with a specific antenna harness. That's your hot wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstarrocker Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) Most automatic antennas require a double pole, double throw relay so that when there is no current supplied to one wire (in your case, red), current is supplied to the other (white). When your radio ant. wire energizes the relay, power goes to red and sends it up. When the relay has no power going to it, power goes to white. Edited February 13, 2013 by darkstarrocker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69sroadster Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 I wonder if the non-power antenna ZX's came wired the same for those that did have a power antenna. Maybe he might be able to use existing wiring/relays (if they're there) through his stereo unit tapping in to it and wiring in his aftermarket power antenna. Personally I hate power antennas as they always seem to have problems after a few years. FWIW, I recently found another way of getting rid of an external antenna altogether but still having an option to listen to FM/AM. If you have an aftermarket head unit with an external 3.5" jack or usb jack, you can use a portable MP3 (with radio) hooked into the head unit to tune your radio stations. These typically use the patch cord as the antenna inside the car. I found out that mine works just as good as the car's external antenna, but doesn't incur the very small amount of drag, maintenance for failing gears on power antennas, or random acts of violence at the local mall/theater for bent/broken fixed antennas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 but the retractable antenna is so cool and 80's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Agreed with BluDestiny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstarrocker Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 If the car has the power antenna wiring (fairly certain it won't,) you may be able to use the aftermarket head unit antenna wire to power it. Should be the blue w/ red stripe. It worked on mine, but some won't have the amps to power the antenna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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