Wierd 95 Altima Radio Antics

OK. Who can tell me what has possessed my radio (Bring me an Old Electrician and a Young Electrician!).
Here's what it does/does not:
--- What I have: 1995, Altima, with stock FM/AM/Cd/Cassette player.

- Radio does not work, won't power on.
- Clock does not work.
- Push the CD eject button, and the CD cycles like it's trying to eject, but nothing else happens. Won't play a CD.
- Engine codes show up on the radio.
---BUT---
- unplug the antenna, plug it back in, and the radio powers up (when you hit the ON button).
- Turn the radio off with the ON/OFF button, and it turns back on.
---BUT---
- Turn the ignition off, and the radio doesn't work. (until you unplug/replug the antenna).

Any suggestions? The antenna is this wierd two prong plug, so I can't just put a manual antenna in it. Plus it's a real hassle to go through the stereo removal/antenna plug deal every time I want to listen to music.

-PP

OK, so where did my "Riddle Me This" go from my title?? Did that violate Board policies??

-PP

Humm, could either be the crappy nissan grounding system, , or your unit has bit the the dust.  No use to try an fix it.

-------------
2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.

I bought the car about six months ago- blown head gasket, which I replaced myself (note to self; NEVER yank the head from an Altima again, it's a nightmare!)
When I pulled the radio to see why it didn't work, I found that the previous owner was bridging across several wires on the radio harness, trying to ground them out. Maybe he was on the 'bad ground' track as well.
   So what's wrong with Altima grounding? I think I will run a ground directly from the grounding point for the battery to the radio and see what that does.

Thanks,
PP