Tube radio repairman out there?

[Reece]

Hi, I'm in South Central PA, and a pretty old radio man! If the set was working before and not now, I wouldn't touch the alignment until the set works again. You have to be able to hear the signal coming through all the way to align it, anyway. Several things to check.

1. You checked the bandswitch and tone switch: try cleaning them with spray and turning back and forth, and working the buttons, with the set on. Sometimes you'll hear an intermittent which points to a loose or dirty contact. With the set off, check each contact with an ohmmeter for continuity.
2. Test the 6SA7 and 6SK7 tubes.
3. See if those two tubes have DC on their plates, 6SA7 pin 3, 6SK7 pin 8, around 250 volts or so, with your negative voltmeter lead to chassis.
4. Check if screens on those two tubes have about 100 volts DC: 6SA7 pin 4, 6SK7 pin 6.
5. If voltages are there, see if the oscillator is working. Put another working radio tuned to 1450 next to your GE. Have the GE turned on and tune it up and down around 1000Kc. If the oscillator is working should hear a squeal or "rush" in the other set.

Check back and we can dig further into it.