[Kestas]

I have never yet done an alignment on a radio, and I'm trying to read how it's done.  I get some conflicting information.  Some say IF alignment can be done by ear, others say it can be horribly screwed up doing it this way.  Can an IF alignment be done without a signal generator?

[morzh]

Yes it can.
No I do not recommend it.

[K7Sparky]

IMHO, by the time you can get close by ear you will have aligned enough of them with a signal generator you would go back and verify it with test equipment anyway. It's a game I like to play now and then.

Take care with too much pressure on your alignment tools if you are tuning stuck slugs with internal Allen holes. They can crack. Cracked ones are a bear to get out. Then you get to measure the pieces and try finding a replacement.

Hamfests are a good source of used alignment tools - no such thing as too many - also signal generators.

[TV MAN]

I too recommend using the generator and meter. The meter can see what your ears cant hear. Might get by on a simple am superhet, but when you get into more complex shortwave, FM and esp television, you really need the equipment.