I have the original antenna from the tractor it was on, and all of the stock cables. Also I couldn't even hold the PTT down for more than half a second before the radio just blacked out.
Sounds like power starvation. Could be your power supply, could be a bad connector. Without knowing exactly what model radio it is, We can't really tell you if your 10 amp power supply is enough.
And It had a NOAA frequency programmed into it and I still couldn't hear a thing.
OK, so VHF radio, that's a start. Giving us the full model number info off the radio would help. What you are doing is equivalent of saying "I have a Ford vehicle and need to change the oil, how do I do it?" There's a lot of additional info needed before anyone can give you any sort of useful advice. Like changing the oil, we'd need to know the exact model, engine, year, etc.
Simply saying you have an XTL-5000 isn't enough. That's a general model name, but doesn't tell us anything about the frequency (we've got as far as VHF….) and power level. Power level info in important because that will tell us how big a power supply you need, what size wiring, fuse size, etc.
I had my Pro-668 on one of the frequencies, next to it when I held the ptt down and nothing was heard.
Keying up a transmitter right next to your scanner is a good way to cook the innards in your scanner. Please don't do that.
I'm using a 12 volt 10 amp power supply do I need more?
Maybe. You have to give us some details.
And you need a proper antenna, and enough separation between your scanner and transmitter so as not to damage things. We'd also need to know something about the frequencies and power levels involved.
Or is the antenna cable bad due to it being on a tractor for 10-15 years.?
It's possible.
I'm trying to figure out what sort of antenna you are using. If this is a VHF radio, and you say the antenna is 12 inches tall, that's not adding up. If it was a 1/4 wave antenna, it's going to be about 17 inches tall. It's also going to require a ground plane under the antenna.
Or did I fry the radio pressing the PTT down without enough power? Help! I really want this radio to work.
Unlikely you damaged the transmitter if it was starved for power, but it's not a good idea to do that.
If you want to learn about radios, that's good, but it would be a good idea to gain some knowledge before hooking all this up and transmitting. You need some basic tools and test equipment, or at least get a local shop to assist you.
And as for the programming software and cable, not sure what you are going to do with those just yet. Do you have a plan? There's a lot you need to know before wading into programming radios like these. It's complex and there are ways you can unknowingly cause harmful interference to other radio users (even public safety users) without knowing it.
Give us some more info about the specific radio, the antenna, the antenna mount, the power supply, how it's all hooked up and what you plan to do with it all. That's the only way we can assist you.