On this episode, we remember RadioShack. Once again, the company has filed for bankruptcy protection. What are your memories? We also test a portable tuner free vertical antenna. Will we get out in very poor winter conditions? Plus, a listener asks Christian about microphones. Does one size fit all? Or, is this a trap? All of this an more on this edition of 100 Watts and a Wire. === http://100wattsandawire.com/100-watts-and-a-wire/episode89 === 100 Watts and a Wire ® is a weekly podcast celebrating amateur radio. Join Christian Cudnik, K0STH for topical conversation, interviews, news and an entertaining look at the adventures of a ham trying to figure it all out. 100 Watts and a Wire is perfect for those who are new to ham radio, those looking to serve as Elmer’s, and the technically curious crowd. Whether you run 5 watts or 1500 watts, everyone is welcome. In our community, it's OK not to know everything, ask for help, give advice and get on the air. Visit 100wattsandawire.com for more information. You can subscribe to the show by clicking the RSS feed. Or, by using podcast apps like, iTunes or Stitcher. iTunes: goo.gl/G4ODJc Stitcher: goo.gl/X3hrsa HF Calling Frequencies: 14287 and 7180 DSTAR REF026B EchoLink: Node 517090 Gathers happen on Thursdays at 8p Central. Bands may vary.
Truth UP.... --Bought my first piece of electronic equipment(1966) at Rat Shack (a Micronta meter) --Bought my first 'laptop' (no harddrive) at Rat Shack (1984) --Bought bendable antenna wire for some of the first HF fractal antennas (1990) at Rat Shack --Bought my first 'mobile phone' at Rat Shack (1993)
I have a lot of stuff from RADIO SHACK until the slick operators took over. Same with sears, j.c.penny. sad.
The problem with Rat Shack in resurrection was the merchandise was fine, but the prices were not: I always found cheaper on EBay, and never had an 'impulse purchase' requirement. Locally, we have You Do It for that (we call it 'YouBlew It). My main prob thru the years was the catalog was excellent and the merchandise was pretty good to excellent--but the employees were dummies. I always felt like I knew more about the product--no matter what-- than the salespeople did. I have never ever felt that way anywhere else on anything else. Now I am sure there are some hams who worked at Rat Shack that were blaring exceptions to my complaint-- I really wish I had worked with you!
FOUND my first VOM (that is, a copy) on EBay and bought it Did my first RF repairs with that meter...age 12. Managed not to get electrocuted. That's the cool thing about the internet...you can buy your old trash again--50 years later!
I really wish there were more ham radio/electronics hobby stores... kind of like the "old" Radio Shack, but just a real electronics store that you can go to and buy parts. I don't mind paying a little more for quality components, especially if I can hold them in my hand while forking over cash. Just something about physically looking at and feeling a product will make me want to buy it or not. I don't know how many times I've seen something that might work online, but doesn't. Now I'm out cash and extra junk around the shop. For the most part, I buy bulk resistors, LEDs, diodes, etc from eBay. However, sometimes what is shown in the picture isn't always what you get. Don't get me wrong, Chong capacitors will work in any thing I use them in... but for example, I'd prefer to use premium Rubycon or Jamicon caps. Same goes for solder. I hate this lead free solder... it flows like junk and then to get it off, you got to flow like a lot of leaded solder and flux to get get it off with the solder sucker. Something about Kester "44" just works... I also blame it on the "throw away" society. People think I'm nuts when I go garbage picking in the spring. For kicks, I have repaired so many flat screen televisions that are less than 2 years old because of junk parts they throw in them to the non-savvy folks to throw it out and buy new.
Among the best reasons to go to Dayton is the amazing availability of parts. Every year I come back with a big bag full of stuff, most very cost effective for the lab at work. The nice part about that is I get to charge the trip to work. Now, if that stuff was available locally--no hamvention!
It was the most convient place to go(2 Miles) for fuses.In fact I purchased a Micronta Multimeter which has a prominent position in the shack. Don't think there was enough Ham Ops or experimenters around to keep them going.Back in the days of the Citizens Band craze in the '70's or early '80's this kept them going.Then after that they became computer orientated before becoming a cell phone store.Perhaps with all of the cell phone competition,it was too much putting all one's eggs in one's basket.It's always sad when any business folds as someone always gets hurt in some capacity. Respectfully, Gregory L. Mitchell, W2MYA, West Caldwell,N.J.
I worked at Radio Shack during my college daze. On Saturdays the tube checker had a line stacked up. Sold 6GH8A's like candy. Forgot to tell the manager that socket was broken, but we sure sold a lot of tubes! Of course they were guaranteed for life. Yeah -- the life of the tube. Batteries were the big push. And you had to give your address for the mailing list. That was a MUST. Stores were ranked on their address percentage. At the end of the day, we'd copy info from a receipt that was filled out to one that wasn't. Why some days it appeared the same customer shopped there 7 or 8 times! So you got a few dozen catalogs in the mail... at least they had a free flashlight or battery coupon. And those were the worst batteries ever. They would corrode in the box! An AA battery cost the store .03 cents each and sold for a dime. (The smart people went for the 9V). Some of the stuff had a 'spiff" on it, meaning SELL AT ALL COST. I hope none of you are ones I sold a Harmon Kardon combination record player/ cassette player/ AM-FM to. Sorry if you are. Worst day was when I told an electrical engineer (I didn't know he was an EE at the time) that this Realistic AM/FM stereo had a hysteresis poly-dynamic motor in it. He looked me straight in the eyes and said -- now I'm paraphrasing here -- that I was full of cow manure. I admitted to my excessive hyperbole and apologized. On the bright side, he did buy the receiver.
I remember when RS had a catalog out which was about the size of a copy of Reader's Digest with half the number of pages back in about 1958 or so. A friend of mine used to get parts from RS. There were other sources like Allied and Burnstein-Applebee. I wonder how many young Hams know how the term "Shack" came about? My understanding is that it originally came from the Navy and Merchant seafarers. The early installations of radio equipment on ships was an afterthought and lacking room, they just built a small shack on the deck near the mast or other high point and it became known as the Radio Shack.Then it became Ham Shack, and in the Military, Comm Shack or Commo Shack.
"YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS?"....."WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS!!!" It is really SAD that "Brick & Mortar" stores like "RatShack" are QUICKLY BECOMING HISTORY because of "ON-LINE" (INSTANT GRATIFICATION) BUSINESSES!!! TIME MARCHES ON!!! :-(
