Solving the "stereo on, antenna up" problem
 

Has anyone replaced the stereo with a new model, only to then find out that since retractable antennas haven't been made in 25 years, aftermarket manufacturers no longer provide wiring compatible with our cars?

I really only run in Bluetooth mode on my '83SC, but to the stereo I selected, which I really like (Pioneer DEH8500), any mode equals "raise the antenna." I was thinking an in-line switch that would toggle signal to raise or lower the antenna would work, and therefore preserve the option to run AM/FM. Has anyone done this? What kind of switch? Any other solutions?

Thanks Pelicans!

Most new units provide an amplifier switch wire. use that to power your antenna

I think the question is how do you use the unit NOT for radio and keep the antenna down. I'd like to know the answer to that as well.

A separate switch to run the antenna up or down.
Power on the stereo for a CD (for example) and keep the antenna down.
Power on the stereo for Radio and extend the antenna up.

I suspect that these days, the blue wire is really intended to trigger a remote amp, not an antenna.

The 10-year old NOS Blau CD head unit I put in my car had two blue accessory wires. One is intended for the remote amp (blue w/white trace), and powers up any time any function of the head unit is used.

The other (solid blue) is for an antenna, and only powers up when the tuner is active, not the CD.

You might want to double check to see if your head unit has only one blue wire, or two.

Installed a new Kenwood 3 months ago and it had an antenna energize wire. They are out there

Puzzled why anyone needs an electric antennal.

My car has a manual antenna fitted - but I have no key to release to deploy it, so it has stayed down 100% since I bought the car.

Despite that, radio reception is 5x5 (loud & clear) if I need to reboot the media player - only time "radio" is ever selected as a source.

Yup I did this year's ago and it worked great. PO had a hella switch mounted on the dash already just to the right of the column on the dash. There is a popout there on some cars. . I used that and it worked great. Just kills the signal to the antenna and it goes down.
I have since gone to a smarter head unit that puts the antenna down anyway when you go off radio ( alpine )

Worked great for years tho.

replace your stereo with an alpine, lesson learned