[morzh]

So, I put the wires back to the power switch, plugged it in, slowly increasing the Variac output...nothing. No DC, not even AC.
Eventually, after 5 minutes, I remembered that some plugs, if fully inserted into my Variac (bought new, but, well...Chinese) do not make contact, so I pulled it back a little bit.
Briefly saw the AC, then checked the DC voltages on the caps, then I pretty much rotated the tuning cap and pulled in the local station.


Here's the video.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PcZLxpJqnr4

It's a start.