# Head Unit antenna install question... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [June 1, 2008, 9:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335 "2008-06-01T09:26:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/1 "2008-06-01T09:26:13Z")
moving on with my list of 2008 projects…i took on the new stereo this weekend. everything’s going very well but i’ve run into one small confusing hold up. The new CD player has a weird looking antenna jack, and the jack that was sitting in my dash that it’s supposed to plug in to is different. The one on the CD player just has one hole in it: ![http://nyspeed.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4484&stc=1&d=1212337795](http://nyspeed.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4484&stc=1&d=1212337795) ![http://nyspeed.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4483&stc=1&d=1212337795](http://nyspeed.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4483&stc=1&d=1212337795) it’s a shitty picture…but if one can see down into that plug, there’s a narrow hole in the end of it, similar in width to that of a headphone jack on an ipod…set about an inch down into the plug itself. The one in the car itself, that was sitting behind the dash…had like 4 or 6 prongs in it…obviously they won’t mate. i wanted to eliminate my rear antenna anyway…and just fill in where it was for a cleaner look…and maybe just run an antenna wire behind one of the a-pillars or somewhere up on the dash where it won’t be noticed, but still in a position where it’ll get a good signal…but how do i do so with above pictured antenna jack? I can’t just take a strip of wire and stick it in there can i? do i have to buy a special wire that plugs into it…and then run that wire to desired antenna location? The only other wiring the head unit came with was the obvious wiring for the speakers/power to the unit, and a USB wire for the USB port on the back of it… ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/2 "2008-06-01T09:34:41Z")
[http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Group/ProductMenu.aspx?g=119400](http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Group/ProductMenu.aspx?g=119400) :gotme: ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/3 "2008-06-01T09:41:00Z")
yea u need an adapter…that car doesnt have Bose does it ---
**Author:** ![greg23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greg23](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greg23)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/4 "2008-06-01T09:43:13Z")
You need a antenna adapter for your car. It will convert your factory antenna plug into a typical motorola style end that plugs into your new radio. Any car audio shop, CC, BB ect wil have them. If you dont want to use your factory antenna, you can buy a window mount antenna. It needs power but will plug directly into your aftermarket radio without use of the adapter. ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/5 "2008-06-01T09:46:21Z")
> [@Jagermeister](#): > > [Vehicle-specific Antennas & Adapters at Crutchfield](http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Group/ProductMenu.aspx?g=119400) > > :gotme: i dont think either of the 2 it gave me would work. both options shown would work with the new head unit (Pioneer DEH6000UB) but neither appeared to work with the antenna jack i have. the antenna jack in the car itself is hollow like a female jack…but in it are prongs…it’s weird… Observe: ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/6 "2008-06-01T09:51:50Z")
that looks more like a cd changer plug…my 91 maximas antenna was nothing like that ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 9:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/7 "2008-06-01T09:53:34Z")
> [@MaximaSE98](#): > > that looks more like a cd changer plug…my 91 maximas antenna was nothing like that sonofabitch you’re right…i completely forgot, when i got the car it had a crappy old 6-disc changer thingie that i immediately got rid of…that was so long ago i completely forgot about it… so it looks like i have no antenna jack in the dash, and need to make a run to best buy to see if they have one i can just plug into this jack on the unit, and run somewhere it’ll get a signal. ---
**Author:** ![SilverGT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SilverGT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SilverGT)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/8 "2008-06-01T10:17:48Z")
^^^i was just gonna say taht is no antenna wire that is a changer wire. lol ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/9 "2008-06-01T10:38:55Z")
> [@90NA300ZX](#): > > sonofabitch you’re right…i completely forgot, when i got the car it had a crappy old 6-disc changer thingie that i immediately got rid of…that was so long ago i completely forgot about it… > > so it looks like i have no antenna jack in the dash, and need to make a run to best buy to see if they have one i can just plug into this jack on the unit, and run somewhere it’ll get a signal. Have you thoroughly searched in there? Are you sure you didn’t tuck it away or maybe it fell down and you can’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Adictd2b00st](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/adictd2b00st/32/7625_2.png) [@Adictd2b00st](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Adictd2b00st)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/10 "2008-06-01T10:47:32Z")
yep definitely a changer plug…keep looking there is a 2 prong antenna jack in there somewhere! if you really dont have one tho, circuit city used to sell (i would assume they still do) an amplified antenna that would stick onto the top of your windshield, it’d be your easiest route and isn’t too gaudy looking ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/11 "2008-06-01T11:24:00Z")
Yeah that’s the CD changer plug n00b 🙂 Z’s actually have 2 antennas; one that is motorized (the one you said you want to fill in) and one on the rear window glass. Factory hardware uses both and can switch between whichever has the greater reception. So you can eliminate the motorized one if you want and still use the factory rear window glass antenna. The connection has to be in there somewhere :gotme: ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 12:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/12 "2008-06-01T12:13:59Z")
i decided to move on and finish all the other wiring before digging around for the antenna jack…and i have everything hooked up, checked all the connections, made sure power was getting everywhere it was supposed to…and i start the car, and the unit isn’t lighting up or anything…ugh…i have no idea where to start. ran the lighted power supply to the same wire that gives lighting to my boost gage…ran the constant 12V right to the battery…ran the ground to a clean ground that was used for the CD player i took out, and the ignition controlled 12V source again to the same ignition controlled 12V source used by the CD player i just took out… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/13 "2008-06-01T12:17:49Z")
i’ll bet its not grounding. Find the antenna and plug that in, that supplies a ground. ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/14 "2008-06-01T12:31:08Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#): > > i’ll bet its not grounding. Find the antenna and plug that in, that supplies a ground. checked the ground again…and it’s good… ugh…i shoulda guessed that the car that fucks up every other “simple” procedure would find a way to spread its curse to electrical shit now… ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/15 "2008-06-01T13:26:05Z")
The ground wire is a separate wire that isn’t in any harness or bundles. It’s just a single black wire that runs from the frame to the stock unit. It should be screwed in on the left side when you look into the open dashboard. I used to pull the CD player out of my NA Z in the fall, and when I re-installed it in the spring I could never get it to turn on. I’d always forget to hook up that little black wire that looks like it’s not important. ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/16 "2008-06-01T13:27:47Z")
Oh, always check your fuses before you think it’s a bigger problem. ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/17 "2008-06-01T13:55:33Z")
> [@Onyx Z32](#): > > Oh, always check your fuses before you think it’s a bigger problem. Z owners must think alike… i checked the constant 12V again and it was fine…checked the 12V switched by ignition and it wasn’t getting any power, even though it was when i tested it before hooking anything up. i couldn’t find the little panel that goes over the fuses by the clutch, so i just started pulling them all one by one hoping to find a blown one…figured this way if any others are blown i’d see as well…sure as shit, the first one i pull, a red one with “10” on it…blown…replace it…check the rest just for good measure…and boo-yah i have music. now hopefully i’ll be able to hear my music over my exhaust 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/head-unit-antenna-install-question/49335/18 "2008-06-01T13:59:01Z")
teeeeeeup :tup: