Well I bench tested the antenna how the service manual recommends. But I used a battery charger instead of a battery. I hooked up the green wire on the antenna plug to the + on the charger, the grey wire on the antenna to the - on the charger, this should raise the antenna. Nothing but a few small crackles as I was touching the connections together. Then I tried the other side of the spectrum, I hooked the white wire on the antenna to the + side of the charger and the green wire on the antenna to the - side on the charger,  this should lower the antenna. Same thing some small crackling at the connections. I unhooked the charger from the antenna and lightly bounced the antenna off the concrete floor a few times and hooked the antenna back up to the charger as if to raise the antenna and guess what,  antenna raised. I then hooked it back up to lower and she went down.  Your guess is as good as mine what the Sam He** that was about or what caused the antenna not to work in the first place but I have a New working antenna. I'm not going to use it simply because of this kind of problems, I'm going with the fixed antenna when it arrives.    

That's what we called a "drop check" in the Navy. . .

I suspect that the coiled wire that drives the antenna up and down was probably stuck and your drop test freed it up. Had it been in an extended or retracted position for a long period of time?

I salute you Mr. Hanna, Thanks for your service to this Great Country. My Father was in the Navy on board the USS Benner World War 2. 

73Shark no the antenna was in the down position and I'm unsure how long,  could have only been at the most 7 days. Like I said after the new mufflers had been put on I don't remember if turned the radio back on. After I had the mufflers put on I had another shop put in new plug wires, plugs and the timing set,  they also adjusted the carburetor. I also don't remember if I turned the radio on then. But I do know that the antenna worked because I had the radio on before all this took place and the antenna went up and down as it should.  It's got me awe, The mystery's of life I guess.  : )