MjRocket

Anyone know if the single wire coming off from an S4 antenna amplifier booster is a positive power wire or a ground?

Thx

antlee928

I believe it is 12V power and the unit is ground thru the chassis where it screws down.

ROG100

Correct

WallyP

The other end should be hooked to an antenna or amp power connection on the radio that provides power when the radio is on. The antenna amp lead is usually bonded to the antenna coax lead.

jeff spahn

So to revive an old thread because I am reinstalling my new center console.

Can I just hook this to switched 12v power and call it good? My radio has a 300ma limit on its output to the amp.

VehiGAZ

Mmmmwhat does the one thing have to do with the other? I am concerned you've misunderstood... Your radio should have a "amp/trigger" 12V output wire that signals an amp to turn itself on (it does not power the amp) - or (in this case) feeds 12V to the powered antenna. As far as I know, you can split that output to feed both the amp and the antenna.

jeff spahn

nope. not confused. I don't know the power draw of the booster amp in the base of the beesting antenna. I do know that the amp/trigger wire 12v output on my new radio has a 300ma current limit and I don't want to cause issues. I am already using that signal wire output to drive the on/off for my subwoofer amp.
I figure I can hook it to a new fused switched 12v wire from the ce panel and then eliminate any possibility of it overdrawing from my radio.

FLYVMO

I would take it from the CE panel as you have mentioned. I think the antenna amplifier uses more than 300ma. It is enough to trigger the amp to ON and that is it's main purpose. Does the unit not have another output for an electric antenna/amplifier?

Another option is to have that output (amp turn-on) trigger a relay, in case you want other units powered/triggered when the stereo is turned on. Would need a fused hot supply from the CE panel and proper ground of course.

Cheers!
Carl

VehiGAZ

Oh ok. Well as I understand the trigger wire function, it only serves as a signal to other components, and it can be used to trigger more than one component (ie, multiple amplifiers) so I would think you can run the antenna too. I use mine on both the antenna as well as an amp, with no issues (except lousy reception from the shark fin antenna...)

Hilton

Just wire a cheap 12v relay to the amp trigger output of the head unit which applies switched 12V to the antenna and audio amplifiers when the (blue?) signal wire is activated by the head unit

jeff spahn

I'll do this a bit later on. For now I'll wire to the ce on a switched circuit. I can get the relay done after 3rd coast.
It is a blue wire and I am using it for the sub amp triggering.

Wisconsin Joe

I don't know what the power draw for the antenna amp is, but it's not much. I'm using the Power Antenna lead off of my Alpine head unit to run it. It works fine, even though it's not supposed to be used for that.