J: Definately return the Sony if the whip antenna will not rotate
smoothly, apparently its a very common problem. After extending the
base section of the whip straight up till you can see the bottom, it
will then be necessary to tug it up an inch or so more thus pulling out
the top of the mount it is connected to. It shold now rotate smoothly.
My old ICF SW7600 had a good antenna whip but I bent it up, it being
the only fragile thing on the radio which was bounced around off road
in a jeep for years, and still plays perfectly.