[RodB]

Tom
We know the heptode works from when you substituted the signal generator in place of the oscillator and a station came in. So I was trying to determine if the triode was conducting, and it is. It should be drawing a couple milliamps. Have you tried another tube? These are loctal tubes; have the tube pins been cleaned? If they are black or dark grey, clean them with 0000 steel wool and then alcohol. I believe the choke coil in the plate circuit was a work around to start the oscillator. It's hard to say at this point but keep it handy. I'm running out of ideas. When this happens I usually start poking around with a wooden or plastic stick to see if something is loose mostly around the tube socket.