Antenna switch install.

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
cek
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by cek »

Love this. Wish I would have seen it before I put a 'white wire cutoff fog light switch' in both my cars.
e28Sean
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by e28Sean »

I'm impressed.

I might have to steal this idea from you.
demetk
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by demetk »

Steal away. :)
AdamCosmos
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by AdamCosmos »

Hi All,

I realize this is an old thread, but I got to thinking about this upgrade and wondered if this switch would work as plug an play, rather than modifying an existing switch or using an aftermarket switch. It's the window cut-off switch and I would remove the symbol and wire it so that when pressed in the antenna would work normal and when it's at the above pictured setting it wouldn't. I'm gonna get around to trying it before too long, but i wanted to see what everyone thought Thanks!

Adam

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e28Sean
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by e28Sean »

My understanding is that the circuit breaker (window cut) switch is not designed for regular use. With regular use as an antenna switch it would fail more quickly than a regular -type switch.
demetk
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by demetk »

I agree. A better solution would be the fog light switch.
Das_Prachtstrasse
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Das_Prachtstrasse »

I used a switch from the e23 HVAC control. Specifically the one for middle vent selection. Seemed fitting.
dm635
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Joined: Oct 10, 2007 7:36 AM

Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by dm635 »

Did this years ago on my E24. I used the 2 prong fog light switch from an E30 or E28. Works perfect. I used the same switch for my kill switch. Hidden in plain sight in the row of 4 switch cutouts under the radio. Studied the ETM looking for the smallest/thinnest wire in the circuit to tap into. That wire is one of the green wires going to the OBC relay box . Engine will crank but not fire. I hit the switch everytime I turn the car off and the all black switch hidden in plain sight just blends right in.
ianodoyle
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by ianodoyle »

The switch is not illuminated unless there's power on the white wire from the radio, so if the switch lights are off, the switch won't raise the antenna.

Hey Ron.. going to do this mod. Is there a way to have the switch lit when the lights are on? Even if then stereo is not in use?

Ian
ianodoyle
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by ianodoyle »

dm635 wrote: Sep 17, 2018 1:24 PM Did this years ago on my E24. I used the 2 prong fog light switch from an E30 or E28. Works perfect. I used the same switch for my kill switch. Hidden in plain sight in the row of 4 switch cutouts under the radio. Studied the ETM looking for the smallest/thinnest wire in the circuit to tap into. That wire is one of the green wires going to the OBC relay box . Engine will crank but not fire. I hit the switch everytime I turn the car off and the all black switch hidden in plain sight just blends right in.

Love this. Any chance you have a diagram of the wiring as I would love to install. Like the idea of it being in plain site.
ianodoyle
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by ianodoyle »

Blue Shadow wrote: Sep 10, 2014 6:59 AM
528elover wrote: This is one thing these cars don't, but should, have - a central locking button.

Actually we do have it. It is built into the Driver's door lock. Operate it and the rest of the car follows, lock or unlock. The front passenger has some control, too, I think but not complete.

I'll need to hunt it down, but the idea is to supply switching to a couple pins on the CLCU.

Well that wasn't too hard to find. Check out the different projects listed here including the button

http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/framelift.html
Hey any chance you could put the projects back up online? Sounds great. Ian
BMWCCA2
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by BMWCCA2 »

For the antenna, I always used another of the square switches that kills power to the rear windows. If you look underneath the gear-shift surround, there is already a hole in the metal for RHD cars. All you have to do it trim out the vinyl and foam, plug the new switch in, and use it to interrupt the antenna power lead off the radio. Pushed once, the antenna doesn't get power. Push again and everything works normally. I used this with the stock radios but haven't had much need for it in recent decades since most after-market radios will only power the antenna with radio, if you choose that wiring option. Very simple, requires very little skill, and just one OE switch.
:dunno:
cek
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by cek »

BMWCCA2 wrote: Sep 22, 2020 9:11 AM For the antenna, I always used another of the square switches that kills power to the rear windows. If you look underneath the gear-shift surround, there is already a hole in the metal for RHD cars. All you have to do it trim out the vinyl and foam, plug the new switch in, and use it to interrupt the antenna power lead off the radio. Pushed once, the antenna doesn't get power. Push again and everything works normally. I used this with the stock radios but haven't had much need for it in recent decades since most after-market radios will only power the antenna with radio, if you choose that wiring option. Very simple, requires very little skill, and just one OE switch.
:dunno:
That's what my fog light button to the left of the head unit does. Nice thing about doing it here is the white antenna trigger wire is right there.

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Blue Shadow
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Blue Shadow »

Ian, this page is available in the web wayback machine. Looking in the archive, it showed up here

https://web.archive.org/web/20120125065 ... cking.html
e28Sean
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by e28Sean »

I got around to doing this a while ago. I used a US-style fog light switch in the right hand blanking panel to interrupt the 'antenna up' wire from the radio, such that while the switch is in the ON position, the antenna goes up/down with radio on/off. When in the off position, the antenna simply stays down.

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Mouthpear
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Mouthpear »

demetk wrote: Sep 01, 2014 12:36 PM 2 DPDT mini relays, one window switch and a little bit of thin gauge wire.
I know this is an old post but JFYI.

I just wanted to let you know that you could have done this with regular ole' 5 pin bosch style changeover (SPDT) relays, found in any auto parts store.

The head unit wire goes to Com of Switch and Com of Relay #2

Up goes to Relay #1 Coil & Com and White wire.

Down goes to Relay #2 Coil.

Jumper wire from Relay #1 NO to Relay #2 NC.

That's it.

If power to radio or ignition is turned off, the antenna will automatically come down.

I can provide a diagram but don't like uploading diagrams directly to sites. I upload them to my google drive just in case I need to add things (if and when people request it), or change things if I accidently goof. However I do not link to at first contact since I do not know if the site permits that. But if you draw it out you can see that it will work. I can also make a video of it working in my simulation software and upload to youtube. Anyone can PM and I will give them the link to the diagram.
Last edited by Mouthpear on Jan 10, 2024 7:48 PM, edited 2 times in total.
Panici
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Panici »

stuartinmn
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by stuartinmn »

I thought most modern head units would automatically retract the antenna if you were listening to a CD or an aux input, I know mine does. In any event they typically have an antenna enable output, so it should be as simple as putting an SPST switch inline with that wire - open the switch, and then the antenna will stay retracted.
Mouthpear
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Mouthpear »

stuartinmn wrote: Jan 10, 2024 3:48 PM I thought most modern head units would automatically retract the antenna if you were listening to a CD or an aux input, I know mine does. In any event they typically have an antenna enable output, so it should be as simple as putting an SPST switch inline with that wire - open the switch, and then the antenna will stay retracted.
OP specifically mentions that...
I know some headunits have an antenna cutoff built-in which powers up the antenna only when AM/FM inputs are selected. None of my middle of the road headunits have that feature.

The easiest solution would have been to interrupt the white wire at the radio with a toggle switch but that would look too hack, even for me.
Tho they do NOT exactly specify whether or not theirs does. For my interpretation, it seem that theirs does not do this, since this post is about making it happen.
e28Sean
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by e28Sean »

stuartinmn wrote: Jan 10, 2024 3:48 PM I thought most modern head units would automatically retract the antenna if you were listening to a CD or an aux input, I know mine does. In any event they typically have an antenna enable output, so it should be as simple as putting an SPST switch inline with that wire - open the switch, and then the antenna will stay retracted.


Depends on the head unit. A lot of lower end or midrange ones just energize the antenna wire any time the head unit is on, in my experience.
Blue Shadow
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Re: Antenna switch install.

Post by Blue Shadow »

BMWCCA2 wrote: Sep 22, 2020 9:11 AM For the antenna, I always used another of the square switches that kills power to the rear windows. If you look underneath the gear-shift surround, there is already a hole in the metal for RHD cars. All you have to do it trim out the vinyl and foam, plug the new switch in, and use it to interrupt the antenna power lead off the radio. Pushed once, the antenna doesn't get power. Push again and everything works normally. I used this with the stock radios but haven't had much need for it in recent decades since most after-market radios will only power the antenna with radio, if you choose that wiring option. Very simple, requires very little skill, and just one OE switch.
:dunno:
But that is the switch I use to turn the gong off. Since it is part of the OBC warning system, I did not want to disable it permanently.
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