[IRCA] How would I tell if my SRF-59 needs alignment?

[Stephen Airy <pianoplayer88key@xxxxxxxxx>]

I saw that someone in the ultralightdx yahoo group posted instructions for aligning the SRF-59 family of radios.  Also IIRC he said that virtually ALL of the ones he's ever seen needed some alignment, ranging from minor optimizing to major overhaul (some apparently started out as "turkeys").
(BTW what would be the definition of a "turkey" anyway?  Is it poor sensitivity, or poor selectivity?  I temporarily have the SRF-M85W, which is listed as a turkey in the ultralight rankings file, and while moderately strong stations bleed over several channels like the SRF-M37W, it holds its own on sensitivity once I'm sufficiently far away from the strong signals.  (A Coby I have would probably qualify as a turkey, though - I have trouble getting 640 KFI and 1070 KNX, both of which are 99 and 111 miles away, respectively (but KNX does better on more sensitive radios due to a part-saltwater path.))
 
So I'm wondering if it's possible my SRF-59 could benefit from alignment?  I did take it and my PL-606 outside earlier this afternoon to compare weak signal performance... and it seems, at least in my testing, that the SRF-59 is overall slightly better on weak signals than the PL-606.  Up in the 1600s or so I thought the PL-606 had the slight edge, but otherwise my SRF-59 seemed better.  This was especially noticeable in the middle of the band.  For example I could get weak audio on 1190 KGBN and a faint trace of 1150 KTLK on the SRF-59 if I nulled 1130-KSDO and 1170-KCBQ (otherwise the splatter would have killed the weaklings on the '59), but was having a hard time on the PL-606.  Also on 1110 KDIS the SRF-59 got quite listenable audio, whereas the PL-606 was really quiet and faint.  Also on 790 the SRF-59 did a better job at digging XESU out from under KABC, 730 XEEBC was copyable on the SRF-59 but undetectable on the PL-606, and two TIS's on
 530 (WNHV296 from LAX and a CalTrans TIS in San Diego county) were marginal but barely copyable on the SRF-59, and struggled to break threshold on the PL-606.  The PL-606 DID take the edge, though, on getting 960 KIXW, whereas the SRF-59 couldn't cope with the 950-XEKAM splatter.
Also at Santee trolley shopping center about a week ago (about a mile from 1130 KSDO), the SRF-59 got good armchair audio on 1070 KNX (106mi, 131°), but the PL-606 struggled to dig it out of the muck.  Both radios struggled with 1110 KDIS, though.
 
KNX-1070 on SRF-59 @ Santee: http://www.mediafire.com/?dzyx6u8294n59gh
KNX-1070 on PL-606 (50/00) @ Santee: http://www.mediafire.com/?ga5vvw0qzqlxdo2
The PL-606 did better at Cameron Corners (138mi, 128°) earlier that day than in Santee, though, at 30/25:  http://www.mediafire.com/?p0v2lz6t935mczj#1
(I didn't get much of a chance to check the SRF-59 in Cameron Corners.  At the time I thought the PL-606 was trouncing it on sensitivity.  I have since figured out that the recorder I've been using turns out to be quite noisy, so I need to go again sometime and compare sensitivity just listening to the radios.)
A few recored SRF-59 vs PL-606 comparisons from home within the past couple days:
1510 KSPA: http://www.mediafire.com/?glso8a8yi4wdeo6
1290 KZSB: http://www.mediafire.com/?glso8a8yi4wdeo6 - 500 watts @ 195 miles
1190 KGBN: http://www.mediafire.com/?3wfywx52y3sqf1s ;(I made no attempt to null 1170-KCBQ here)
1110 KDIS: http://www.mediafire.com/?byzd9r0da1oenvv ;(This is a station I often listen to - 111mi, 147°.  Comparing PL-606 @ Cameron Corners - 135mi, 139°, 15/10, 1k BW: http://www.mediafire.com/?ta0mf9zt3ali7it)
970 KNWZ: http://www.mediafire.com/?nkb4nnp73c77va5
820 XEABCA: http://www.mediafire.com/?09tq4unwh4dt3w3
560 KBLU: http://www.mediafire.com/?db1qiaqxj6o5jch
 
So if I follow those alignment procedures that were referenced on the ultralightdx list a few days ago, is there a way I can improve the strong/weak signal separation, and maybe coax out a bit more weak-signal sensitivity?
 
If I do the alignment, I'm not sure if I have a signal generator I can use.  If I don't, which of the following live signals would be suggested for checking alignment?  (Signal readings will be quoted from the PL-606 in 1 kHz bandwidth.)
Low tracking: 530 WNHV296 (15/01) ; 540 XESURF (55/25)
High tracking: 1700 XEPE (52/25)
600 kHz adjust: 600 KOGO (69/25) ; 560 KBLU (17/02) ; 570 KLAC (33/23) ; 620 XESS (42/25) ; 640 KFI (46/25) ; 670 KIRN (23/18)
1400 kHz adjust: 1390 XEKT (43/25) ; 1330 KWKW (32/00) ; 1340 KCLU (32/00) ; 1360 KLSD (70/25) ; 1420 XEXX (46/25) ; 1450 KFSD (31/25) ; 1470 XERCN (59/25)
Is that 69/25 600-KOGO signal weak enough for the 600 kHz adjustment, or should I pick a weaker one listed from the options given?  Also if I need to pick one, within what approximate range should I try to restrict my deviation?
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