Everybody here is trying to tell you the same thing in different words. You
have a "I'll just pull wire and everything will be all right" fetish. Get
over it. "Bad wires" have about as much chance for failure as "bad bolts".

Okay, so I hear you... but I think where my fetish lies is not with
pulling new wires, but in making sure there is proper seating, in
anything and everything I can get to. If what I'm hearing is that Coax
and wires will have nothing to do with it, I will move on from that
thought. I was thinking corrosion, rust, ??? on a coax connector, or
connector anywhere (especially connector tray - radio), for that
matter. Even you agreed that replacing the coax "may work" and that I
would only be out a couple of bucks, worst case. Your description of
cutting the coax at a 45 degree angle led me to think that you might be
questioning the coax "connector" to radio or antenna or at least be
keeping it on a list of suspects.

My advice is to tune in a constant signal ... like an atis or awos and start
moving things around briskly. When the signal fails or comes back after
failure repeat the jiggle. Narrow down the jiggle area.

I've been using the ATIS at SAC as my constant signal, and have been
forcefully pressing the radio in and shaking it from side to side to
see if I can get it to come in, so much so that the LED's dim on the
radio as I'm pushing it in. That's never got reception to come back.
As far as other things, which I assume you are talking about wires
behind the panel, I can certainly give that a try, once I can figure
out how to do that without putting my self into an unintentional
unusual attitude. I'm 6'2" and about 2 bucks, so I can barely get
behind the panel when the plane is parked safely on the ground, let
alone 5000 feet and 100 kts.

I REALLY do appreciate all of the input, and am not TRYING to be a
knuckle-head about all of this! I'm just trying to interplote the
input I am receiving and do things that are within my capabilities.
And in this case, my capabilities don't seem to cover a very broad
spectrum!

Thanks,
Todd