Maybe they could team up with the new Ten-Tec and make arduino based digital P25 police scanner kits for $700 ($30 radio shack AC adapter not included)
There was actually a class action lawsuit regarding this a few years ago. The attorneys kept most of the settlement. I got a card in the mail that entitled me to... $11 off my next purchase basically. So I went in, got a few connector adapters and such and paid the guy 35 cents since thats how far I went over on the coupon. Haven't been back since. But supposedly part of that settlement was that they couldn't require it anymore. I know when I used the postcard I wasn't asked, and I hadn't been asked about 6 months before when I went in for a purchase. Might still be some individual stores that were doing that though. I want to say I got the card a few years ago. Maybe 2012-13ish? I almost forgot about it, it was good for a year. I wonder how many of them actually got used. Supposedly whatever didn't get used out of the fund for those was to be donated to charity too, if I recall correctly.
We still have a former RS in Cartersville, GA. I think it's been re-branded as a Sprint store. They still have the DIY stuff in the back corner, including a dozen or so parts drawers. I picked up a resistor yesterday.
I make an annual trip into RatShack, just to remind myself why I don't shop there. Sometime you just need a part that they carried in the PAST. I can get most things in a week or less online, I am rarely in a hurry.
Our local RS is still here and kicking. They actually have more of the stuff I go for and less crap. I don't know if they can stay in business doing that - the store looks more like a Dick Smith store now, with fewer parts, but a more open layout. They do have a fair assortment of 'Maker' stuff, and I hope that continues.
They do have those drawers. Also found some RG8 in 25 and 50ft lengths but with crimp on SO-239's. They seem to mostly deal in Cell phones, drones and some computer stuff.
