thanks FB... I have searched all over for set up videos and I've never found that tip to take out all the slack. I tried it this morning, and now I can get it to shift to all 3 chainrings 90% of the time. I also didn't know that adjuster on the downtube did anything.

It still needs some fine tuning, of course. But its enough for me to ride it finally. Thanks a lot for the tips. Can I fine tune the "indexes" with the adjuster on the downtube? Does "index" mean the actual position of the derailleur during a successful shift?