Radio Help!?

So when I purchased this vehicle in 2014 it had a sound system installed by the previous owner that was pulled out before I bought it. The wires started to bug me since they were visible throughout the truck. Most of them were cut but the radio has worked fine. I decided to pull all the disconnected wires out and the last step was to pull the center console area out to undo the remaining wires hanging by the foot pedal. Radio worked as normal.

When I took the wires out of what was remaining and put everything back together the radio is now cutting in and out! I didn't undo anything that wasn't already cut so why would it be doing this? I attached some pictures so you can see what I was looking at.

I left the parts shown in picture 1&2 attached. I unplugged (wire was previously cut, pic 3) the AUX that were plugged into the radio. That's all I did so why would by radio now be doing what it's doing? Do I need to plug the AUX back in even though the wire was already cut?

 

Is power to the radio cutting in and out or is it the signal to the radio station that you're loosing? Keep in mind, the lone black connection is for your antenna.

 

When driving it's clear at certain points then goes fuzzy for any radio station I'm on. Is something supposed to be plugged into the lone black piece?

 

I personally would look closely at the antenna connection. Make sure the wire that leads to your antenna is clean of any corrosion or anything foreign. The antenna port at the head unit appears to be fairly clean, but don't overlook that either. Also, make sure the head unit is well grounded. Years ago I had an issue with radio reception because the head unit wasn't grounded properly. Not sure what that had to do with it, but.....Hope this helps.

 

I'm a total newb to this so I'm not sure where this stuff would be, etc. Could I have knocked something loose when pulling it out? Where is the ground? Which wire is the antenna connection? Is anything supposed to be connected to the lone black piece because nothing was before.

 

Yes that's were your antenna connects.

 

Yes the black one is the antenna.

 

The antenna plug in the dash should be a big silver plug.

 

If nothing was plugged into the antenna port before, then the rca cables that you removed may have been acting as somewhat of an antenna.

 

Assuming by your pics it's an aftermarket radio still in there.

look for this kind of plug in the space where the radio/center/AC controls were

 

I can't find anything in there like that or other connections that the antenna can plug in to. I posted a video with when I put my hand/fingers on the connectors it's clear. Check it out and let me know what you guys think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM56TmKgJNQ&feature=youtu.be

 

Did you look inside the dash area to see if the antenna cable is up in there? It should have an end on it like the pic frizzman posted in comment #10.

 

No I can't find anything like that anywhere. Why would my hand on the REAR OUTPUT make it clear?

 

When you have some time, you could probably trace it from the antenna mount on the passenger side fender. If nothing else, you'll at least find out if it's been cut or damaged.

 

I"m not even sure how to follow the wire that is a part of this

 

If you can't find anything they sell an antenna that would plug into that black wire and just sit in the dash behind the radio.

 

Can to post some examples of what they sale?

 

I searched eBay hidden radio antenna

 

your hand is connected to you, you have become the antenna (we're basically a meat sack with electrical charges )

 

the other question is do you have an antenna on the outside?

maybe pull the glovebox out and see if you can find the antenna cable or if there is a cut cord somewhere