[Seven plus One]

I have pretty much the same radio, a Radio Shack DX-398. Purchased it about 9 or 10 years ago, but I use it with a small 6V-300mA wall wart since it plain eats batteries. Maybe ½ hour if I'm lucky. I run the line out into a good amplifier. Except for the battery situation, I love this radio. Sounds like you have an open circuit somewhere between the battery compartment and the power switch. Never had mine apart, so I can't say what it looks like, but it's probably a one-minute soldering iron fix.

[Hawthorn]

>> I love this radio <<

Me too, except for that blasted “beep” when you change bands or punch in a frequency. I know there’s a way to disable the beep — found the instructions on the Internet thanks to Google. But I just haven’t yet worked up the courage to take the thing apart!

[Seven plus One]

After following post 6, of course. A little drop of tuner cleaner can work wonders while wiggling that plug.