Not getting 12 volts to coil

In the engine compartment, I unhooked the big red wire's male connector and touched its end with one end of a volt meter and its associated 'female' receptor at the bulkhead with the other end. It's possible my 2 relevant column connectors underneath the dash we re not pushed in far enough to get contact, and maybe that's why my dome light did not come on and my reading for resistance stayed '1'. That's all I can think of at this point.