SteveG

All: I pulled the radio just nosing around. It was installed previous to my ownership. It has a multipin connector and in the bundle that goes into that is a blue/white wire with a factory label "antenna", which was not connected to anything. And the larger Pcar black stock antenna connector was not plugged into anything. Reception has been ok, but I would have to rate it as poor. The whole Kenwood set up is not user friendly, but maybe I am just experiencing senioritis. I soldered the blue Kenwood wire to the pcar antenna b/c I didn't see any other receptor on the radio for antenna and in hopes something in the pin connector was antenna. but no difference was noted in the reception. Any Kenwood people out there or anybody have any thoughts about this. The poor reception for the area may be normal, but it seems, unless there is another antenna wire in the bundle that the sound shop stoner besides breaking my ashtray mounts when he hooked up the radio did me the additional "service" of not connecting the antenna.

bd0nalds0n

I think the blue/white wire coming from your Kenwood is a small power lead to trigger a power antenna to raise when the unit is turned on. Its power output is usually limited to a certain # of millivolts. There's usually a similar wire labeled "amplifier" which accomplishes the same trick.

When you talk about the Pcar wire, I'm assuming you're talking about the thin black wire attached to "regular" M antenna plug that leads to the windshield antenna. I'm not sure what that's for, I always assumed it grounded the windshield antenna to the car.

The Kenwood unit should also have a black pigtail F antenna connector into which your M antenna plugs into.

I have always found that the windshield antennas don't work very well with aftermarket stereos. I've installed an amplified FUBA (like the VWs and later model S4) powered antenna on my S4 and my 944. I run the "antenna" power lead to the antenna, so that it only receives power when the head unit is on; I'm sure the draw from the powered antenna is pretty minescule.

Hope this helps.

User 4221

DO NOT attache the blue wire to the shielded antenna connector.

The blue wire will output 12V and may see the antenna as a short. You may possibly damage your radio.

The wiring configuration of your Kenwood should be:
Black - Ground
Yellow - +12V constant
Red - +12V switched
Blue or Blue/white- Power antenna lead --- uses 12V to raise and lower power antenna

If you only have a windshield antenna, you may consider finding a small antenna to plug into the radio and stash it behind a rear quarter panel. It's not perfect but does improve reception.

HTH,
Scott

Jim bailey - 928 International

The windshield antenna cars have a power booster in the cowl of the car base of windshield it needs that small power feed

JE928Sx4.

Exactly, if it has been left unmolested, it's a thin black wire with a little white rectangular cubed plug at the end. It runs with the thick antenna wire most of the way, but splits away from it at the end.

SteveG

All: Thanks for the replies.

Jim: re power feed -- that would be the blue/white I incorrectly connected to the cars antenna? Then the blue/white should connect to the wire that splits off of the car's shielded antenna. Is this correct?

JE928Sx4.

That is what I would do if it provides constant power when the radio is on. That is what the Antenna booster needs.

User 4221

Some of the outputs from newer radios are in the milliamp range and
may not drive the booster.

You may consider connecting the booster power to the +12V -switched (red wire) to make sure you have enough juice.

Or, you could use the blue/white wire to drive a relay which will, in turn, power the booster via a stronger current source.

HTH,
Scott