outsmartsmart
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 260
- Reaction score
- 46
- Location
- Warwickshire
- Your Mercedes
- 1995 A124 E320 Sportline
When I bought my car it had a 'Halfords special' Kenwood head unit. I have since replaced this with a Blaupunkt Bremen period style but updated for DAB, SD card, USB, etc.
On the rear it was plug and play but with only two connectors used whereas the Kenwood had three connectors attached.
I'm guessing the redundant plug carried power to the electrical aerial as that no longer works.
However the aerial was 'stuck' half way up anyway. Whether it operates electrically or not I'm not that bothered initially until I get chance to get in and sort the wiring generally behind the head unit as it is all scotch-locks and that and I will solder and heat shrink all the connections and/or use a Deutsch block type connector to marry the two halves together.
The main question here though is about the aerial. I have bought a pattern antenna rod with the toothed cable (it appears to be a faithful replica). I assumed/saw/read that you can replace these without removing the aerial unit from the car. I have unscrewed the old one at the point it enters the body housing but it won't 'pull' out the toothed cable (I've not pulled too hard!), I assume it needs power to it to wind itself out initially? Can I just power it direct at the aerial unit itself, have to sort a power feed from the radio area or remove the aerial completely from the car to 'manually' wind it in, etc.
Advice gratefully received.....
On the rear it was plug and play but with only two connectors used whereas the Kenwood had three connectors attached.
I'm guessing the redundant plug carried power to the electrical aerial as that no longer works.
However the aerial was 'stuck' half way up anyway. Whether it operates electrically or not I'm not that bothered initially until I get chance to get in and sort the wiring generally behind the head unit as it is all scotch-locks and that and I will solder and heat shrink all the connections and/or use a Deutsch block type connector to marry the two halves together.
The main question here though is about the aerial. I have bought a pattern antenna rod with the toothed cable (it appears to be a faithful replica). I assumed/saw/read that you can replace these without removing the aerial unit from the car. I have unscrewed the old one at the point it enters the body housing but it won't 'pull' out the toothed cable (I've not pulled too hard!), I assume it needs power to it to wind itself out initially? Can I just power it direct at the aerial unit itself, have to sort a power feed from the radio area or remove the aerial completely from the car to 'manually' wind it in, etc.
Advice gratefully received.....
