Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

[SteveP]

Hi,

I'm looking to fit my old Kenwood stereo into my '94 Bighorn, and apart from the aperture not quite being the correct size, I'm finding that the electric aerial is not popping up.

Now, I don't know if the aerial is bust, or if there is just something amiss with the wiring. I have a converter connected to the Isuzu plug to make it ISO standard, but I notice that there's an extra wire at the Isuzu end that's not connected to anything (I think it's brown, and has a socket for one of those bullet shaped connectors).

The only other things of interest is that there is an earthing strap on the ISO connector, which I haven't connected up yet, and the Radio doesn't come on unless the aerial is connected to it.

Has anybody got any ideas how I can test the aerial to see if it works without necessarily relying on the radio, or what steps I should take next?

Cheers,

Steve.

[Google]

[SteveP]

Ok, I've got a bit more info...

The Kenwood stereo that I'm trying to fit has a blue wire for control of the electric aerial - unfortunately, the "spare" brown wire with the bullet socket isn't the aerial connector.

Having had a look at the back of the aerial, there are two wires, in addition to the aerial co-ax - a red wire, and the blue wire (with white stripe, I think). Neither of these wires seem to make it to the stereo loom, so I'm wondering where these wires come out (I'm assuming that one of them is live, and one is the switch wire to raise the aerial).

Anybody who has an electric aerial, do you know if it raises/lowers with the ignition key, or is it connected to the radio being switched on/off?

I'm really struggling here because I don't know whether the aerial is all wired up ok, but is just bust, or whether the aerial works, but needs some cabling that I haven't hooked up.

Any assistance gratefully received.

Cheers,

Steve.

[Pete E]

Steve,

I am not sure about the Bighorn, but on my Trooper (Duty) there is a seperate switch for the electric aerial between the handbrake and the gear stick but i am thinking that would make life dificult for your situation?

However, I bet that control wire on the radio could be "bypassed" in some way to make the radio work independant of the aerial, then you could look at fitting a seperate switch as on mine? Maybe drop Kenwood an email or call them and see if they can offer any advise??


Regards,

Pete

[SteveP]

To be honest, just getting the aerial in the "up" position would be a good start.

According to the Bighorn handbook (translated from the Japanese version, and purchased from the owners club), "the antenna extends automatically then the radio is turned on and retracts automatically when the radio is turned off". I'm just wondering whether I have a goosed antenna - I'll see if I can find where the wires enter the cabin (it's too cramped under the wheel), and see if they are getting any power.

Does anybody know whether my assumption about one wire being "live", and the other one being a "raise" signal is accurate?

Cheers,

Steve.

[stuart]

Hi Steve,
I have a 92, Bighorn. I have had the aerial out on mine as it was getting stuck (yours could be too). You are correct in your assumption about the wiring. If you connect both of the wires to a live wire then the aerial should go up. Make sure the aerial is properly earthed as this may be your problem. The aerial should go up and down with the signal from your head unit. Mine actually goes down again if i put a CD on.
Hope this helps,
Stuart.

[SteveP]

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for the info - I've given up, and am taking it back to the dealer where I bought it to let them sort it out. It turns out it's under warranty with them, so I'm not going to mess with it any further.

Cheers,

Steve.

[UBS73GW]

Hi Steve,

Did the dealer sort this out?  My 1999 3.0 Bighorn had the factory fitted stereo cassette player as well as an in-dash CD player.  Whoever carried out the fitting did a really bad job - joined wires, lots of electrical tape and incorrect connections (left/right front/rear were mixed up).

I spent the weekend removing the factory unit and replacing it with the in-dash CD player.  I used the original connector (to the factory unit) to make up a connector for the CD player with proper soldered joins.

The wiring diagrams in the workshop manual proved invaluable since I am not electrically skilled.  I am very happy that it now sounds absolutely divine.

My Bighorn has a switch next to the handbrake that raises and lowers the antenna but I wanted to have this happen automatically when I switch on the radio.  The wiring diagrams show that the wire connected to position 12 on the radio connector is responsible for this.  I therefore hooked this up to the auto-antenna wire from my stereo but it still doesn't work.

Apart from this I am very pleased with the result.

[Mightyjoe]

Mine has a switch by the handbreak for puting it up or down, but when you turn it off it goes down anyway
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95 BIGHORN LWB XS Plaisar

[UBS73GW]

Mightyjoe, mine has the switch too and when you switch off the engine the antenna goes down automatically.

What I wanted to do is for the antenna to go up automatically when I switch on the radio.  I'll check whether there is any current on this wire when the radio is on and off.

Will keep you posted.

[MadLensman]

Hi All,

Tell me to shut it being a newbie and all, but my Citation also has the dreaded switch in the centre console for the aerial..... (But it's so old n stuck it takes a load of effort to press it - and with the quality of Radio programming in South Devon, it's frankly not worth it  8)  )

Also, on normal ISO style connectors, the Wire usually used for power aerial is coloured ORANGE and has a flip/flop current

i.e

Turn engine on = +12 v DC until stop switch activated by fully erect aerial
Turn engine off = -12 v DC until stop switch is reached by retracting aerial

Hope that helps!!!!

   
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