VS electric aerial issue

[jonesyb69]

Hi Guys,

I've got an issue with my vs aerial. The height can be controlled by the buttons under the radio but it does not stay in position as it will retract all the way as soon as I release either up or down button. It is connected via a Pioneer deck, which I have read to cause potential problems with electric aerials.

Hoping someone with some electrical smarts has some ideas to resolve this or has come across this before.

Cheers

 

[losh1971]

Are you sharing the switch wire with an amp?

 

[jonesyb69]

Are you sharing the switch wire with an amp?

Thanks for the reply.
No amp involved. Just the head unit. There used to be at least 1 amp in the car though, which have been removed

 

[VT&VX]

buttons under the radio

...is that a feature of that Pioneer head unit?

 

[jonesyb69]

...is that a feature of that Pioneer head unit?

No I mean the built in holden aerial buttons. The large square grey ones just above the storage area behind shifter

 

[VT13]

The trim (up/down) buttons in the dash are earth switches that apply earth to the respective side of the antenna motor to drive up or down for trimming/manual adjustment. The power to the antenna motor does not come from the stereo, the motor draws power from the broader system. What comes from the stereo though is a 12v antenna remote signal (blue or blue/white wire in the stereo loom), it's this signal that tells the antenna that it's required, or not required. When 12v is present on the remote wire the antenna will drive up and stay up until the 12v is removed.

I suspect you have a problem with your 12v remote power signal, most likely it's not connected and therefore your antenna will not be remote commanded up or stay up when manually driven up. Have a look at your stereo's loom, as it's Pioneer it will be the blue/white you are checking. Is there an amp in the car? Someone may have used that wire to signal an amp to power on and left the aerial in the abyss.

 

[losh1971]

Is it possible to disconnect the switch and use the switch wire on the head unit? Or is it possible to disconnect the blue switch wire and see if it works like it would with an original head unit?

 

[jonesyb69]

The trim (up/down) buttons in the dash are earth switches that apply earth to the respective side of the antenna motor to drive up or down for trimming/manual adjustment. The power to the antenna motor does not come from the stereo, the motor draws power from the broader system. What comes from the stereo though is a 12v antenna remote signal (blue or blue/white wire in the stereo loom), it's this signal that tells the antenna that it's required, or not required. When 12v is present on the remote wire the antenna will drive up and stay up until the 12v is removed.

I suspect you have a problem with your 12v remote power signal, most likely it's not connected and therefore your antenna will not be remote commanded up or stay up when manually driven up. Have a look at your stereo's loom, as it's Pioneer it will be the blue/white you are checking. Is there an amp in the car? Someone may have used that wire to signal an amp to power on and left the aerial in the abyss.

Thanks for the explanation and some good tips. I will check it out and post back later

 

[jonesyb69]

Is it possible to disconnect the switch and use the switch wire on the head unit? Or is it possible to disconnect the blue switch wire and see if it works like it would with an original head unit?

Thanks for the idea. I will keep this in mind as well. Cheers