To give a first cut at visualizing these things, I made a couple statements above that ain't quite so. It's often better to think of the field around a wire, rather than the current passing through it, carrying the energy. The energy is transferred at the rate the field travels, not the much slower electron speed. Make sure the enamel insulation on the coil wire is in good shape, except where it must be sand papered off for slider contact. Make sure enough insulation has been removed from the wire ends where they need to make contact with wires from other components.
Sand paper works OK for removing enamel insulation.
Be sure your antenna wire is well insulated from nearby metal objects. You can pass the wire through small-gauge flexible plastic tubing from model airplane shops. Be sure you have a good cold water pipe or 4-foot rod ground connection. Remove oxidation from the surface of the pipe or rod with sand paper before making the connection. Don't just tape the wire on and hope for a connection.