The connector you chose is fine. Most likely a problem in installation.
PL-259s can be a pain to get installed right. The quick, solderless
ones are fraught with potential problems depending upon the the
coax used. The ones that need to be soldered are best but can
still be problematic. When you say it cannot transmit, do you mean
no signal at all or you can only reach close stations? An SWR or
reflected power meter can help if you have a dummy load available.
You can check the radio then the coax and then the antenna.

Doug

wrote in message ...
Can someone tell me if there is a PL-259 connector for UHF and a
different one for VHF? I got a 259 from Radio Shack that was labeled
for UHF. It looked the same to me so I installed it, along with a
Shakespeare VHF antenna for a VHF marine band radio. Would not
transmit, but had a steady clicking from the speaker when mike was
open. I returned the radio to the factory for repair under warrenty,
and when returned was told the radio performed at factory specs, and
to check the installation. So, now I'm stumped, and hate to try
anything else without knowing what's going on. A SWR meter check would
not help at this point. Thanks for any help.
Helmer