[Zionist Conspirator]

This is the radio in question.

[GadareneDemoniac]

My guess is that there is some connection that has worked loose in the body of the radio; and I doubt that you can crack the case open. If this was my radio, I’d contact the SW store, or, if you have the literature that came with it, there may be a factory service center listed.

[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.

[buridan]

As more than one poster noted, I was wrong to say there are no lithium AA batteries. There are now a dozen or so lithium battery chemistries which yield varying voltages, including 1.5 v AA’s. Sorry for the error.