How about Fry's ? I think I saw one in January almost completed somwhere between Dallas and FTW when I was in the area for 3 days. It looked finished but when I pulled into the parking lot it was not ready for opening yet. 3-4 years ago I was in a Fry's (several)in the Redwood Shores /San Jose area and they had a good selection, heck even some ham rigs on the shelf! It was a mix of a CompUSA, Office Depot, and Radio Shack (when they still had parts) all in one. The parts selection was quite good, better than RS ever was and they had tons of electronics tools. I was in shock and awe...Maybe just because it was in the middle of Silicone Valley ??
I can't say it's the same way now in 2005 but I sure wish I had a Fry's in Florida. I don't care where it is I would visit a couple of times a year and heck FL is a big state. Skycraft in Orlando is a neat place to visit and they do have a lot of surplus but what you find is hit and miss, it's like a big hamfest without the radio gear. I have one parts house 20 miles away but they stock everything that you DO NOT need, everything you do ends up special order, I may as well order myself from digi-key. Other than the one I mentioned above I too have no other place to buy parts in the entire state, I don't even think my Radio Shack has resistors anymore, it's a common problem. I just hope that when I move in the near future I'll be lucky and end up at least 2 or so hours away from some place that sells some selection of parts. Rich -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Charles Miller Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 2:58 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] PARTS Yes here in Dallas. Google is a very good place to start. They have been very helpful in finding parts in the past. Charles Miller ----- Original Message ----- From: "KE5CTY Bob" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 9:30 PM Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] PARTS > Wow I had no idea things had changed so much. What about resources for > looking up parts specs? Are there any on the internet you can go to and look > up a part number like a resistor number and at least get the specs on it? > > BTW I see you are in the Dallas area also. We are in Poolville out here past > Springtown near Azle so you know what I meant when I was talking about > remote location Hi Hi > > I have always lived in Dallas or San Antonio until now so I feel like I am > on a permanent Field Day Trip out here :0) > > TNX, > KE5CTY (old calls WB5ZQU - WY5L) > http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/ > Code may be dieing but the pioneering spirit that put the code there in > the first place is still going strong. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Charles Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 9:25 PM > Subject: Re: [Repeater-Builder] PARTS > > > > Bob, > > > > You are just starting and finding that it is getting very hard to find > parts > > to build anything. > > > > There are a lot of fun things to build and can be very educating at the > same > > time. > > > > I have built a lot of radios when Heath Kits were around. I have also > built > > some the kits you can find on the internet. > > > > I have over 200 different electronics things that I have built and learned > > from. Most of the kits had all the parts in them, some I had to look for. > > That is not the case now, and it does not look like it is going to get any > > better. > > > > I have 1 project that I have started, and had to go to 28 different > > suppliers to get the parts. I have 3 more parts to locate and then I can > > start. The biggest problem is finding some of the parts that are called > for > > in the project list. They may show a supplier, but when you start looking > > the supplier is gone, moved, or no longer has that part. > > > > Finding a substitute that will work is getting hard as well. On the last > > project that I completed I had to order a crystal that took 3 months for > > them to make. They had to grow that type before they could make it. The > cost > > was a little high, $150.00, but it was worth it. The radio sound just like > > it did when it was made in the early 40's. Nicely restored with original > > parts, no replacement or substitutes. I sold the radio for $1,500.00 as a > > restored piece and made a few bucks to boot. > > > > I have found that the local TV repair shop is a very good source if you > have > > any in your area. They have to have been in business before the 80's or > you > > will get a technician that is to new and does not know what you are > looking > > for unless he worked for one of the older shops. > > > > Good luck, and happy hunting. > > > > Charles Miller > > WD5EEH, Dallas, TX > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "KE5CTY Bob" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 8:51 PM > > Subject: [Repeater-Builder] PARTS > > > > > > I have been all over ebay, does anyone know where my son and I can find a > > bunch of Ham Radio related spare parts for building some of the home brew > > projects we are finding all over the internet but no parts, like > > transistros, resistors, coils, fets, diodes, connectors, ect in one lump > > purchase? > > > > I thought mabe I would find an estate sale or something on ebay but no > luck. > > > > We are trying to start building homebrew accesories, ect and are starting > > from scratch. I have built some parts bins out of cardboard boxes and some > > wooden crates but can't find any parts except in TV's and old radios. Some > > are usable but I don't have a reference for most of them to see what the > > specs on them are. > > > > Something that would have assorted parts including perf boards, small > > enclosures, ect > > > > We live in the country and the closest parts store is over 100 miles away > so > > we wanted to find it on the internet and hopefully at discounted prices > the > > XYL says, no more than $50.00 > > > > TNX, > > KE5CTY (old calls WB5ZQU - WY5L) > > http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/ > > Code may be dieing but the pioneering spirit that put the code there in > > the first place is still going strong. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links Yahoo! 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