This is what my completely finished and working retro radio looks like. The red wire coming out of the top is the antenna.
It's not perfect, i think something is up with one of with wires, getting a lot of clicking and static while music is playing, thinking it's a wire coming off the volume pot. Moving the orange and yellow wires really seem to make the thing pop real loud.
Fine work! The crackling as you've described suggests a "dry" joint.
I didn't know Haynes have expanded into radio-construction. I know they'be been publishing manuals for repairing domestic appliances for some years now.
