I am using a 2000 ohm earphone . I did put a 100 picofarad cap in for rf bypass and it dramatically changed where the tickler is set.
My antenna was close to a metal roof so I moved it and will try this radio tonight again.
It is still pretty cool.

Still the exact same results , night or day only 2 stations.......still a cool receiver.

Can we see a pic or two of this set?

Sure,once I figure out how to get my phone to size the pics smaller!
Wish me luck!

Usually, in addition to the tickler, you reduce gain by lowering the filament voltage. Is there a rheostat on the set for that? It's kind of like playing a pipe organ, with all the controls interacting.