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Post by videoguy on Jun 4, 2017 2:25:26 GMT
During May they were selling everything in the store for 60% off; picked up a pair of LED pilot light assemblies for $1.37, instead of $3.99. All R.S. stores in Fla. are closed as of the end of May.
First we lost the last electronic DIY magazine 8-10yrs. ago; now there is no place local if you need a couple of standard resistors etc. I only went there if I was designing a new circuit; never used their stuff in finished goods. At least our Aussie friends have Silicon Chip Mag. & Altronics, Jaycar; kind of envy them.
Bill Wilson
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Post by ronzo56 on Jun 4, 2017 4:01:59 GMT
Yes. I drove by my local store Friday and it was closed and the sign removed. New sign. Space for lease. End of another era. Made a pair of walkie talkies from an RS kit about 1967. Now that was fun times!
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solderdude
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measureutternutter
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Post by solderdude on Jun 4, 2017 7:11:32 GMT
We had 'Tandy' stores in the Netherlands about 30 years ago. I believe they were part of Radio Shack because most of the parts had 'radio shack' printed on it.
One day the store I frequently visited had a big sale. In that same street there were 3 electronics part shops which had much more different parts. I bought a portable radio back then and a Beyer DT330 (which was 70% off in price)
All Tandy shops disappeared at that time and a few of them suddenly had 'radio shack' signs. One of those Radio Shack shops was still around in Gouda (close by for me) and visited it a few times. There were always people in the shop.
Very little electronics parts and no really cheap parts (you know how is Dutchies operate) Mostly disco lighting, DIY kits, CB stuff RC things and gadgets etc.
2 years ago it was suddenly gone.
The same is true for the electronics part shops I frequently visited in the old days. All of them are gone. I reckon most of us either don't DIY any more or buy their parts online somewhere. The shops that went with the flow and started sellling gadgets, computer stuff or other specials good hang on longer. But these days all of the shops I knew don't exist any more.
Fun times indeed.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jun 4, 2017 7:30:51 GMT
I just found some pictures of the electronics shop I worked for 21 years ago. Worked there for about 6 years. They had 3 stores all very close together. A hifi store (high-end stuff and better hifi) and a TV shop (B&O and Philips mainly) and a parts shop. In the back of the parts shop there was a space where there was a repairshop for audio, video and TV. I worked there (only me) for about 6 years along with an older collegue who only did house calls for TV's and new installs of hifi and TV stuff. Sometimes I tagged along or in holidays I took over that parts as well. Often had to work in the hifi store, TV store or parts store when they were lacking personnel. After I left they stopped the repair department. The collegue stopped repairing TV's as well and simply drove the stuff that needed repairs to importers and back. The hifi store burnt down about 15 years ago and they took the insurance money and closed that shop. The TV store was closed about 10 years ago. Too little sales. Everyone bought at large electronics stores that had huge discounts. They relied on the few older and rich people that wanted 'service at home'. About 6 years ago the parts shop also closed their doors. It was a scruffy old shop with heaps of old stuff they couldn't get rid off. Lots of old tubes, some even had German swastikas on it ! Stuut en Bruin already existed in those days. anyway I write this because I wanted to share some pictures I found because of well ... part of my history. www.flickr.com/photos/fransdewit/5479435821/in/photostream/
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Post by ronzo56 on Jun 4, 2017 8:06:32 GMT
Tandy did own Radio Shack. I bought many RS parts since I was a kid. Built my first crystal radio set from there. I would say up late in the summer and discovered New Orleans jazz and then underground rock and roll. My nerdy friends used to hang out there many days in the summer, riding over on our bikes. The owner was so nice to us. A bunch of kids interested in electronics. I have many found memories of Radio Shack. They had great stuff at a price a kid could save up to afford. I want to express my thanks to all the people at Radio Shack for all the help and patience they showed me for over 50 years. A great run!
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jun 6, 2017 10:55:36 GMT
I got my first 'posh' fm radio receiver from Tandy a long long time ago. It hissed like mad but the sound was good.
So, off I went and bought a great big aerial, nearly broke my neck on the roof with the size of it and a rotator, plus a pole and connected it on top of an array that looked a bit ridiculous when I think of it now. I actually walked up the roof holding it!!
Finally, I decided that the Tandy radio was too noisy and bought a Sony receiver which was a revelation. Not cheap, but from my big aerial, it was superb and I was also picking up stations from the north of the UK plus French channels.
I had a Yagi fm beam for the radio on the top plus a 2 meter ham radio omni and a 934mghz aerial at the very top and a big ham yagi beam below the fm aerial. Then the rotator and a long wire aerial attached below the rotator which went the whole length of the garden to another pole. The wire was attached to a tuning device in my room that I made, so that it would transmit on many frequencies just with the twist of a tuning and gain knob.
I had a posh Yaesu transceiver and another well known make that I can't remember the name of now (!!!). Plus handhelds galore.
My funniest chat was with someone north of Greenland. We talked for some time, until he let out that he was stranded on a floating piece of ice and was waiting to be picked up. It was going to take some time, so he set up a radio and a pole for his radio.
I used to use 2 meter ham radio in the car when touring to chat to people while moving to different places for various shows. Also found some cheap lodgings that way.
Tandy was just too tempting for me in those days.
My poor neighbours. I blame Tandy for starting me off.
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