Radio Shack Memories

[Mickey Richaud]

From 1972 until 1978, I worked for Radio Shack, in New Orleans, Shreveport, and Monroe, La. Was store manager in each of those towns. Still have the stereo equipment I bought over the years there.

Just stumbled on this website which contains all sorts of archives. Fun reading, at least for me. Guess I'll be on this website a while... :computer:

Check out back cover of the '73 catalog, introducing the four-banger hand-held calculator for the princely sum of $129.95. That would be well over $500 today! No square root function, nor percentage key - just add, subract, multiply, and divide!

Some of the prices back then put lots of equipment more than out of reach for many folks. Another case where our memories of the "good old days" are selective. :wink:

Radio Shack

 

[martx-5]

Oh man, you shouldn't have showed that to me...I can see myself spending a lot of hours looking through that stuff. :hammer:

Looking through the 1940 catalog, it's quite apparent why they called it Radio Shack.

 

[Basil]

I worked part time at Radio Shack when I was in High School (71-72) in Aurora, Colorado. (I also worked as a Department Manager at Arlen's Dept Store and cleaned bowling machines on weekends). The one thing I remember most about working at RS was always having to ask: "Do you need any batteries today?"

 

[Banjo]

I remember when you could buy a radio at Radio Shack. Ever since the day I went to the local place, and asked what they had in HAM radios, and was told they don't carry that "Stuff" any more, I will only refer to them as "Useless Gadget Shack" or "Cell Phone Shack"
Their selection of components is about %5 percent of what it used to be as well.
They could redeem themselves if they started selling the new Heath Kits.

 

[JPSmit]

I remember when you could buy a radio at Radio Shack. Ever since the day I went to the local place, and asked what they had in HAM radios, and was told they don't carry that "Stuff" any more, I will only refer to them as "Useless Gadget Shack" or "Cell Phone Shack"
Their selection of components is about %5 percent of what it used to be as well.
They could redeem themselves if they started selling the new Heath Kits.

And of course you are right, but, ask yourself, how many people in a given <span style="text-decoration: line-through">month</span>year would ask what they have in HAM radios. I'll bet that clientèle is only about 1% left. Same with magazines like Popular Mechanics - they are more about telling you things than you doing things. Even Classic Motorsports mag is more about test drives and where to get services than DIY.

 

[TR6BILL]

Do y'all remember going to RS (and even some supermarkets) to check the vacuum tubes for your TV?

 

[Guest]

All I remember about RS is the remote control tank I didn't get for Christmas. I'd go there every day and the guy would let me play with the demo.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

The First computer in our house was a HeathKit my Dad built...

m

 

[Banjo]

I remember when you could buy a radio at Radio Shack. Ever since the day I went to the local place, and asked what they had in HAM radios, and was told they don't carry that "Stuff" any more, I will only refer to them as "Useless Gadget Shack" or "Cell Phone Shack"
Their selection of components is about %5 percent of what it used to be as well.
They could redeem themselves if they started selling the new Heath Kits.

And of course you are right, but, ask yourself, how many people in a given <span style="text-decoration: line-through">month</span>year would ask what they have in HAM radios. I'll bet that clientèle is only about 1% left. Same with magazines like Popular Mechanics - they are more about telling you things than you doing things. Even Classic Motorsports mag is more about test drives and where to get services than DIY.

You are absolutely correct JP. Sadly enough. I understand the reason for the change, doesnt mean I have to like it

 

[Guest]

I don't get HAM. What do those guys talk about, talking to people?

 

[SilentUnicorn]

I don't get HAM. What do those guys talk about, talking to people?

Kinda like a version of the internet.

m

 

[Guest]

I do understand where a police scanner might be useful.


I know the HAM guys here were vital after Katrina.

 

[Guest]

I don't get HAM. What do those guys talk about, talking to people?

Kinda like a version of the internet.

m

I figured that, but how does the conversation go?

"Hey, whatcha doing?"

"Sittin' in my house talkin' to you, what you doing?"

"Sittin' in MY house talkin' to you, Whatcha do yesterday?"

"I talked to some guy sittin' in his house, whatcha doing tomorrow?"

"Sittin' in my house talkin' to some guy."

"That sounds great, talk to ya later!"

I'm not down on it, I just don't understand it.

I get bored real easy and I'd be over it in about 5 minutes.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Do y'all remember going to RS (and even some supermarkets) to check the vacuum tubes for your TV?

Yep - and at Pak-a-Saks, too.

And good ole 60-cycle hum! When's the last time you heard one of those?

 

[Banjo]

Bill, the challenge is in seeing how far you can talk on the power you have available. It's not like CB in the sense that it's global without having to have huge wattage. It has died off a lot since the internet. Conversation on the HAM radio is usually "Where are you? What's happening where you are?" And being able to talk to places like Russia, Africa, Antarctica, China, the ISS. If you have a regular contact the conversation is usually radio equipment, weather, other contacts..
It's a challenge, and was a neat way to be connected globally and mobile before cell phones and the web. Not to mention the local networks on the VHF UHF bands. But, HAMs have always been an odd group. no wonder I fit in there.

 

[NutmegCT]

You young'ns won't remember, but in the 1960s Tandy/RadioShack had "split" stores. One side was electronics; the other was leathercraft. At least once a week dad would take me and my brother to the big store in Fort Worth, and we'd load up with stuff to keep us busy.

We really got into building from the kits. Golly, they actually had real wires, potentiometers, condensers, capacitors, and vacuum tubes! And you did this weird thing called "soldering". Wow! Plus, I think somewhere I've still got the leather key case I tooled with my mom's initials on the outside.

Funny story: Sometime in the late 1960s, the store got its first microwave oven (for the employees lunch room). We happened to be there when it was delivered. Dad decided to show them how to use it. He warmed up a ham sandwich wrapped in a paper towel. They were not impressed. Then as we left, he gave one employee another ham sandwich, but this one was wrapped in aluminum foil.

We walked quickly out of the store, and watched through the big glass window. A couple minutes later, we saw a big flash and some smoke from the lunchroom, and two RS guys ran out. Ever see what happens when you put aluminum foil in a microwave?

We were evil.

But these days ... I don't know how they stay in business.

vomoAx0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

 

[Mickey Richaud]

You young'ns won't remember, but in the 1960s Tandy/RadioShack had "split" stores. One side was electronics; the other was leathercraft. At least once a week dad would take me and my brother to the big store in Fort Worth, and we'd load up with stuff to keep us busy.

One of the stores I ran in Shreveport had a Tandy Leather, and an American Handicrafts store attached. American Handicrafts was another acquisition Charles Tandy took on. They sold craft items - beads, etc., and even stained glass lamp kits - lead channels and all!

 

[Billm]

I always used to go to Lafayette since they usually had more components than RS had but more often I would find a dead TV or radio in the morning of "trash day" and use the components to try and build a radio.
One time Popular Electronics had an article on how to build a 40 meter cw (telegraph key) transmitter for $7.00- that was in the ballpark and with the scrap TV it didn't even cost that much!! Only problem was that I didn't know about power capacity of resisters and the remains from the flash when I plugged it in melted several spots of carpet in my bedroom and the noise alerted my mother really well so most of my HAM days ceased right there.
---I went on to cars next----
BillM

 

[rkep01]

---I went on to cars next----
BillM

...and we're all the richer for it, Bill.

 

[Billm]

Thanks but my wife DOESN'T agree!!
Bill