I recently purchased a nice Becker Europa 599 radio for my 1983 300TD to replace the after market radio. All connections were made and the radio and cassette work fine, but there is no connection on the back of the radio for the electric antenna. I am thinking this radio came from a W123 car with a manual antenna.

Am I correct that I can join the 12v power source at the back of the radio to the electric antenna feed wire and that will provide power to the electric antenna? I have already confirmed that the power antenna works fine.

Thanks.

The becker radio's use a spade connector for the antenna trigger wire..

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Cooljay-thanks for the reply, however the back of the radio pictured unfortunately is not the Becker 599.

Its the same on a 599....follow the arrow...

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No, not correct. The antenna feed is at 12V+ ONLY when the radio is switched on. Connecting it the way you describe would mean the antenna would be up whenever the key is on. This would cause you problems at a car wash, for example.

If I attach the antenna power feed to a keyed 12 v power source (the same one that powers the radio) the antenna should only come up when the key is on. Does this sound right?

The antenna tab on the back of the 599 is on only when the radio has power and is turned on. Remember a 599 has no solid state memory (the presets are all mechanical) and there is no clock, so there is only a switched power feed.

Later 123s have a 2 pin connector with unswitched from fuse 2 and illumination from the dash light circuit for the 612 radio. The 599 does not use these connections, just power and ground. The illumination bulb on a 599 is on whenever the radio is on.

The 12 V from the antenna tab goes to the antenna switch on the dash.

If you are going through a car wash (or playing a tape), flip the switch to the lowest position to lower the antenna.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech