[dan mauro]

Thanks Winky and Daddy for the encouragement to post a similar letter. I too am a novice at this. I have a Heath shortwave kit I built many years ago, works well, and a Philco 40-180 which works but needs at least an alignment. I haven't read anything on repair, chosing to pick your collective brains instead, since it's much easier to read a paragraph or two rather than a complete book. I understand that electrolytic caps will change over time and may need replacing but when I hear about recapping how do I determine which caps need replacement/refurbishment. Do I test them all first? Can all the caps go bad, even the micas? Do I need to test them under load or just capacitance? Where is the best place for me to start with the 40-180, should I try to realign it first or go through it cap by cap, tube by tube? Thanks for this wonderful forum and a great way to spread the knowledge you all have amassed over many years.
Humbly yours, Dan