Has your receiver been re-capped? If not, this may well contribute to overall poor performance and eventual failure. Overall alignment may also help a lot. Regarding the dial calibration, is the dial off more or less the same amount of rotation on each band (indicating mechanical adjustment) or is it simply off base throughout its range? If the latter is the issue, then alignment of the local oscillator sections of each band is indicated. The book describes this alignment and it is not difficult if you have some sort of a signal generator. If you don't have a generator, one can use known receivable stations at each end of each band as markers of sorts. Not the best way to do it but better than nothing.