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Replacement antenna cable

In removing the cable from the back of the radio, the plug at the radio end of the coaxial cable from the antenna in the rear windshield broke. Installers at Best Buy, Circuit City, and even specialty installers say there is no way to replace just the plug.

The conductor in the center of the cable is a single strand about as wide as one hair-width. So trying to buy a cheap whip antenna and splicing its plug into the Toyota cable is out of the question.

Toyota wants $136 for a replacement cable. I'm going to try junk yards and hope to get lucky. Anyone have suggestions for a cheaper way to go?

Thanks,

Ray

Reply to
Ray K
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What reason did the installers give for not being able to splice in a new plug? I'm an electrical engineer and I see no reason why you couldn't simply get a cable from a junkyard, hack off the plug end, and splice that onto the existing cable. You will need to buy some tools, namely a coax crimp tool and (optionally) tool for preparing the coax for the plug, but these should come in well short of $130.

You will lose some signal in the new joint, but if you're listening to high power local stations it shouldn't be an issue.

Alternatively, you could look on the web for coax 90 degree push-on connectors (at least, if your connector is the same as the one on my '99). I'm sure Toyota's supplier didn't make their own funny connector; it's probably a standard part.

If you're in a major urban centre, take a digital picture of the connector and show it to the local amateur radio shop; they'll be able to help you almost for sure.

Reply to
Nobody Important

The antenna connector into the usual Car Radio should be easy to solder a new one on. Its like a long centre pin on all I have used. Kind of car standard in any country I suspect.

Really not a problem to anyone in electronics.

Johnny UK electronics engineer

Reply to
JM

Or alternatively, you could get a generic whip antenna for a few bucks, drill a hole in the top rear of the front fender and feed the cable to the radio. I've never been much impressed with rear window printed on antennas anyway. What year model is the car in question?

Reply to
mack

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