328 Antenna

Len,

When I bought my Euro 328 last year there was a problem with the antenna and my local Ferrari dealer was not able to secure an OEM replacement. We ended up finding an aftermarket version which took quite awhile to have delivered.

I would check with Ferrari UK directly as they seem to be one of the best sources for 328 parts. (Also, the US version may be different than my Euro spec - double check on that to be 100% sure)

Good luck and let us all know what you found out!

 

I tried locating an original antenna (Bosch) but they are no longer made. Even the current Bosch fully automatic antenna (which I bought thinking I would just modify it to semi-automatic function) has a different looking base. Ultimately I ended up finding a aftermarket semi-automatic antenna with a black mast and base instead. Looked great.

Got it here: http://www.antennaworld.com/ (less than $50 delivered if I remember correctly) But I think they ran out of them (both in black and chrome mast). Yup, they are gone (S-41B was the one). Call or email them for suggestions.

Or try Ebay.

It is possible Ferrari UK has some new old stock left....but I would imagine if they do, it will be in the many hundreds of dollars now.

 

I just bought and installed a Hirschman antenna from ebay for around $30.00. The local stereo shop wanted $120.00 for the same one. The reception improved tremendously on my AM and FM bands from the original antenna, and I can get great reception from stations whilst in my garage where previously I could not. It is supposed to be one of the best aftermarket brands, german made.

The downside (no pun intended) is that the antenna only either goes all the way extended or all the way retracted, NO semi-automatic function as mentioned above. The mast is stainless steel, not chromed and the base is a small "dome" instead of flat. I can take a photo and post if you wish. Another thing is that the antenna requires a connection to a 12v wire as well as the auto-antenna wire from your stereo-- which is no big deal, but I ended up disabling the antenna mast switch on my console. My antenna goes up when the radio is turned on, and goes down when the radio is switched off.

cheers.

 

I replaced my with this one:

http://gotcmt.sectorlink.org/eshop/catalog/1154.htm

It is chromed, and has the flat base. I look great and operate perfectly with the console toggle switch. No modifications were necessary, it was a perfect bolt-in replacement.

Milton

 

That is a "fully automatic" antenna...which as you know works fine, but now you no longer can use the antenna switch. But like you, I noticed a HUGE improvement in reception with a new antenna.

 

This would be a better alternative replacement....while the top mount differs slightly from the original, it maintains the semi-automatic operation, and can use the stock wiring with no modification. Would be even cooler if you can find it with a black mast and top mount like I had.

 

the wiring for the ferrari antenna is trivial. The two wires from the console switch go directly to the antenna motor. The console switch simply reverses the polarity of the wires to make the motor spin one way or the other (exactly like the window motors are hooked up).

An automatic antenna has two mechanisms...a way to turn off the power to the motor when the mast is at the top/bottom, and a way to reverse the motor polarity. You can simply ignore all that extra stuff if you can get to the wires attached to the motor.

For example, the metra 44-pw22b (google for pw22 for other brand names the thing is sold under. The 'b' is black mast).

The polarity swapping is done by the relay under control of the 12V signal from the radio. Just hack that off...you don't need it. The second pic shows the white, yellow, and brown wires going from the relay into the gizmo that shuts off the power. The motor itself has the blue and red wires, so those are the wires you want to tie to the ferrari wires.

Take your pick how you do it. You could, for example, just cut the relay off and connect the yellow wire to one ferrari wire, and BOTH the white and brown wires to the other ferrari wire. Note that this antenna also has a clutch-type thing so powering the motor while the antenna is at the limit of travel won't hurt it....it just clicks like the original bosche antenna did.

You can also play games with diodes and/or the relay, but that's probably more effort than cutting some wires and attaching a couple spade connectors to them.

btw, if you're trying to see how the shut-off works, the red and yellow wires are crimped together using a ring terminal and don't interact with the shut-off mechanism. The ring terminal is screwed to the top of the plastic bit just to keep the uninsulated splice from shorting to the other wires.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The OEM antenna is no longer available...not even from Ferrari UK (that's what they said). I heard that Ferrari is planning on making new replacement antennas for the older cars at a cost of $900 +.

 

Just wondering, is there any reason why the antenna should not be extended up for best reception? When I had the original antenna, I always had the mast up all the way, so I did not see the point of being able to control the height of the antenna. It's kinda like the reostat on the instrument lighting- it's always set on full bright for me, so I don't see any reason to have it. Of course, if one is a purist and has the car rigged with all original equipment, then that would be an exception.

 

Timey thread this one. My antenna motor has just stopped working, I've got limited technical skilles/knowledge so a quick fiddle with the wire and tap on the motor have half fixed it (i.e. it will go down, but not up) but now I'm stuck.

Is this a common problem and does it have a quick fix?

Thanks

Paul

 

PK, did you get an aftermarket semi-automatic or a full-auto? The Harada above is semi and will work just fine with the switch as stated. However the auto only has all-in or all-out function. For mine (the fully auto) one wire has to be connected to an "always-on" 12V source (e.g. directly to battery or some live 12V wire). The other wire goes to a connection that can be energized by some switch (i.e. a toggle or the Stereo's Auto-Antenna wire(this will be identified on the Stereo's wiring diagram in the back of the stereo or its manual)).

I haven't tried the mod posted by wolf and his suggestion seems really good.

If you have a Harada-type semi-auto, it should hook up nicely to the wires coming from the center console "see-saw" switch. I belive there are 2 wires located on the front and the rear of the switch harness (there are 5 wires in the harness) and these 2 wires should look the same (white with some colored stripe). These 2 wires are what you will find in the rear of the car.

 

Great thread guys, but who do you get to the antenna to replace it. Mine goes up and down just fine, but I have almost no reception even for local channels. Mine local stereo guy told me it was the antenna-either not hooked up or cable was bad==But who do I get to it to find out---HELp It is hooked up to the radio.

 

Is there any way to repair whatever is inside the antenna that makes it go up and down? Mine goes up just fine, but it won't go down. If I give it a push it goes down fine.

 

It probably just needs to be replaced...mine was stuck in the extended position and had terrible reception. Installed new, and reception was beautiful.

 

That sounds good but who do I get to it?? Do I have to take the interior apart??

 

It is easy! Open the engine lid, unzip the trunk and look inside to the right....remove the carpet covering the antenna (velcro'd in place) and it should be plain to see. Remove the nut above the fender, and the metal strap from below the motor housing....undo the wires, that's it. Reverse to install the new one.

 

sometimes that's caused by crud on the antenna mast. With the antenna fully extended, clean the mast off with a rag - using a solvent if the lubrication on the mast is dried up.

Then relubricate with a very light coating of whatever your favorite lube is.

If, however, the motor is spinning but the ratchet is not grabbing the plastic toothed cord inside the mast until you push the mast down some, then the cord is probably stripped or broken.

The other possibility is dirty antenna switch contacts reducing current flow to the antenna when going down.

The spade connectors between the antenna and the car wiring harness are covered by plastic covers near the antenna. Open the covers and swap the wires. If the antenna then struggles to go up, but goes down easily, then the antenna switch contacts are the likeliest problem.

You can probably take the switch apart and clean the contacts inside, or at least squirt contact cleaner into it.

You can also test by jumpering +12V and ground to the wires going into the antenna (after you disconnect them).

 

It's easy enough to get the 328's console switch to operate a fully auto antenna. You need three diodes from Radio Shack. Make sure they have sufficient current (2A or so, I'd guess -- you can measure the power draw of your replacement auto antenna with an ammeter to be sure).

But this won't work for antennas with built-in RF amplifiers, that need the radio power on to operate the amp. I don't think there are a lot of amplified antennae around anymore -- it was a fad a couple of decades ago to let a small spike antenna work on a sports car.

Reasons for less than full extension: Wind noise. Miniscule aero drag. Personal preference. Low bridge. Driving under gates.

You could also ask why you need a radio in a car with a symphony behind the driver's head.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

My orig. Bosch antenna are no longer working properly..... I did try the following....open 'er up clean out the gung of motors (ala the window motors) and I used a Bosch antena repair "kit" to install a new mast with integral nylon cable --- I never finished ..it was not worth the extreme hassle esp. with better and cheaper ( and black mast ... my preference since I think it matches the blacked out accents of the 308 better) with a Hirschman (same as Harada) black mast antenna ....BUT the damn thing is as Gatsby describes ...hooking it up to the oem wiring was a pain...the Hirshamn tech was trying to be very helpful but I don't know electrical switching and he did not realy grasp why the swtich was important and why did I buy a automatic antena if I wanted a switch and all his patient wiring combinations failed....so when I get a chance, I will hack away at my new Harada antenas and try to get to the motor wiring to use the dash mounted switch... if anyone has step by step on this one with pics that would be great....

 

I haven't looked at the antenna for my 328 recently (which is an after market replacement), but from replacing antennas on my other cars, isn't the cable attached permanently to the antenna, so that in order to replace the antenna you have to reroute the cable to the radio?

 

That does sound easy to replace the antenna, but what if the cable is bad where does it run and how do I get to it. Not sure if it runs under the carpet or what.

 

The power cables for raising/lowering aren't, but the RF (coax) cable ...

I haven't really looked, but it probably is.

But if you're going to a new mast, you might want to replace a 15-18 year old chunk of coax anyway. (Even if it is a pain.) The aged RF cable may be some of the loss of signal.

 

The connections are at the antenna.

If the cable is bad, then you might have to run a new one...but my experience, and others on this board, show that the antenna is the most likely culprit.