I Need Some Radio Help

[1968 280SE]

I have a 1968 280SE Coupe and I am trying to get the radio system fuctional. The radio was missing when I purchased the car but I located the correct blaupunkt radio but I am having trouble getting the power antenna hooked up. I am not sure where the antenna connects to on the radio. There is a circular plug in area on the back of the radio that has a removeable plastic piece that pushes into it. The plug in has several small holes in it two of which have power when the radio is turned on. The antenna I have is a replacement hirschmann since the original one was also replaced at some time. The antenna has two wires both of which require power to lift the antenna and when tuched to the plug in area in the back of the radio the antenna does raise when radio is turned on however it does not lower when it is turned off. Any help would be appriciated.

[carnut]

Is the radio you have a stereo FM? If its a stereo, then you need the separate stereo converter unit that mounts under the dash, I believe below the driver side. The unit has a cable from it that plugs into your radio at that connector that you have found under the black cover. From memory though I believe your radio should still have the convential large hole for the normal antenna cable. The speaker plug ins are in the shape of a "T" so as to not miswire the speaker wires power vs. ground. My brother-in-laws 79 had this set up. If I remember the converter has a spade labeled ANT for the power antenna. The reversing of the mast is powered within the antenna motor, The radio only provides a single 12 volt signal, one wire. If it is AM/FM mono then all connectors are on your radio, speaker (one) connection, power and large antenna receptical and the multi pin connection is not used. Should be a speaker fader knob on the dash I believe that sends power to an optional rear shelf speaker. Bear in mind this is from my feeble memory! Just trying to help from afar!

[whunter]

Car Audio
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/car-audio-multimedia/

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Originally Posted by 1968 280SE

I have a 1968 280SE Coupe and I am trying to get the radio system fuctional. The radio was missing when I purchased the car but I located the correct blaupunkt radio but I am having trouble getting the power antenna hooked up. I am not sure where the antenna connects to on the radio. There is a circular plug in area on the back of the radio that has a removeable plastic piece that pushes into it. The plug in has several small holes in it two of which have power when the radio is turned on. The antenna I have is a replacement hirschmann since the original one was also replaced at some time. The antenna has two wires both of which require power to lift the antenna and when tuched to the plug in area in the back of the radio the antenna does raise when radio is turned on however it does not lower when it is turned off. Any help would be appriciated.

Some of the late'60s - early '70s Beckers and Blaupunkts had a circular multi-pin DIN socket with a plastic cover. Usually it was for use with an optional matching cassette player or short-wave converter that could be mounted in the glovebox or under the dash. Sometimes the plastic cover has a built-in jumper so that the radio won't play if the cover is off.

For power antenna operation, there should be a switched terminal next to where the 12 volt power source connects to the radio. Except for the antenna motor operation, does the radio play normally?

Usually there's a relay in the antenna itself that switches from raise to lower, depending on the power supply.
I would suspect that one of the antenna power wires is supposed to get power from the ignition circuit, and the other feeds off one of the switched radio power terminals. With both ignition switch AND radio on, the antenna goes up, but when the radio is off and the only remaining power source is through the ignition circuit, the antenna lowers.

You can check the antenna motor operation with jumper wires, without actually connecting it to the radio. If your Blaupunkt radio doesn't have a switched power terminal, you may need to install a toggle-switch in some discreet location to work the antenna. Hope this helps.

Happy Motoring, Mark