Saturday, June 13, 2015
Rich world problem: I miss Radio Shack!
As I get back into electronics, I'm rebuilding a workspace and a junkbox. If I'd kept my stuff over the years, this wouldn't be necessary, but in general it's better to toss than keep. Mostly I miss Radio Shack. In my previous active electronics period, roughly 1967-1988, I could always count on RS for immediately needed parts and tools. They didn't have the big stuff or the specialized stuff, but when you needed a 330 ohm R and a 555 chip and hookup wire, you could just run down to RS.
Now I have to order parts through Jameco, which takes a lot more planning and forethought. It's probably cheaper than RS even after you add in shipping, but money isn't the issue. Keeping a project going with minimal interruption is the issue.
On the other hand, the modern era has one HUGE advantage: Ebay. You can find all sorts of equipment that was NOT AVAILABLE AT ANY PRICE in 1980. Example: My latest silly project is replicating the Phono-Faradic device in modern form. This requires a stethoscope to send both air pulses and current to the ears. In 1980 I wouldn't know where to start looking for a stethoscope, and after finding it I probably wouldn't have been allowed to buy it. In Ebay: 10 minutes of looking, 10 dollars to buy.
Labels: coot-proofing
¶ 4:26 PM
