[BC] Radio Shack Hangs In There

[Bill Croghan]

Dave Said;
>>>>>>snip<<<<<
> expensive cables when ordinary and ugly cables would do!  I would give
> anything for a return to the days of the REAL electronics shop where a
> bunch
> of hams and TV repair techs always hung out.  Just like an auto parts
> store,
> the clerk would disappear for a moment or two and some out with whatever
> semiconductor/tube/relay etc. you wanted.  ]
	Dave is a dreamer.  Those types of shops existed when Hams and TV
repairmen actually repaired their equipment.  In my last message I forgot
about Fry's since I use it so rarely, and Amateur Electronic Supply where
there is some very knowledgeable help but no small parts.
Luke, Art, Squeak, Julio, Tom and the other guys at AES are true active
building hams and are a great resource, but again, it's a business and they
are in the Ham radio business, not the electronic supply business.  I've
been a ham for 35+ years and see less and less building/repairing of our own
equipment. Some because it's near impossible.  I'd hate to try replacing
some of the small components in the little VX2 radio on my  hip.  Yes there
is still some building and experimenting, and some great stuff.  I don't
expect people to be building 200 lb receivers, but I see a lot of modern
design and experimenting.  Byon, N6BG's Byonic's products like the tiny
tracker are a good example.  Parts procurement in a plug and play
environment is an economic problem as well as a source problem  You can
often replace a mass produced assembly from the factory with less cost and
hassle then the time and money needed to repair it.

Bill

Bill Croghan CPBE WB?KSW
Chief Engineer, 
KOMP/KXPT/KENO/KBAD/KWWN
Lotus Broadcasting, Las Vegas, NV
Email to loteng (at) lvradio.com
Phone 702-315-3030