[R-390] IF Alignment Question

[Barry]

Gentlemen,

I put the latest project back together today and have begun aligning it.
Aside from doing something really dumb where I had the PTO tracking from
2.55 to 3.55 instead of 2.45 to 3.45, it is going fairly well.

I followed the instructions on pages 115 and 116 of TM 11-8586A to align the
two IF assemblies.  Then I started on the RF coils.  I noticed that when I
switched slowly from band 0 to band 1, the diode load would increase a bit
before clicking to the next band and I noticed the rack that was moving the
most at that point was the second IF.

Leaving the radio set to a BC station, I started playing with the slugs in
the IF and noticed a dramatic improvement in signal strength.  I peaked all
six coils that way and the radio seems to be a lot more sensitive.

Am I doing the alignment a disservice to peak the IF coils this way?  Does
this set them at an optimal position for one part of the band and reception
will suffer at other portions of the band?  That didn't seem to be the case
but I didn't test it all that much.

When I said I followed the instructions, I don't have the "Test Lead
CX-2919/U" the instructions call for.  I was just connecting the output of
the generator directly to the test points and using a minimum signal, did
the adjustments.  Is this possibly causing the circuit(s) to be loaded
improperly and detuned?  Does anyone know what's in that Test Lead?

By the way, I'm using a GR-1001A generator with the 50-ohm impedence adapter
and an HP-410B meter.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Barry - N4BUQ