Friday, May 20, 2011

A Radio Shack DIY Comeback?

Radio Shack seems to be concerned with the direction of its lack of business.
I see they have a link asking for DIY individuals to explain what they would like to see Radio Shack improve on.
I read through the post that many have left and there are some Amateur Radio Operators (HAMS) that have left their own personal feelings.
For me, a hobbyist in many areas, I loved Radio Shack when I was a kid. That was the place for me when I was 6-18 years of age.
It seems to me that Radio Shack had lost there way in the early to mid 80s.
I have heard from many amateur radio operators that tell me how back in the day they use to spend an hour in Radio Shack, go home and build all kinds of gear.

I have not been in a Radio Shack since 1990, they did not have a thing I needed, I ended up at an appliance store to get my electronic supplies, go figure~

For me to make my grand appearance in a Radio Shack store they need to have stocked shelves with everything I need to make a transceiver, antenna or linear amplifier. That’s just for starters; I also have many other hobbies that require the use of an electronic store such as cell phones, computers, scanners, remote control cars/trucks/ planes, Train-Sets etc.
Let’s put it this way, Radio Shack use to be a store for the geek and the hobbyist.
I do not understand why they would not consider a dealer contract to sell with the following Amateur Radio Gear and Equipment:
ALINCO
ASTRON
Butternut Antennas
COMET Antennas
CUSHCRAFT
DIAMOND Antenna
Farallon Electronics
GAP
Grundig
HEiL
HUSTLER
Hy-gain
ICOM
Kantronics
KENWOOD
LARSEN Antennas
LDG
Maldol
MFJ
OUTbacker
Palstar
Tigertronics
Timewave Technology
VIBROPLEX
West Mountain Radio
WOUXUM
YAESU

This is the short list. I have a huge list at the bottom of my blog.

I hope someone from Radio Shack sees this and takes it to heart.
I have spent almost 2 grand on e-bay for shipping and rather spend it at my local electronics store.
73.
Tell Radio Shack how you feel~
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My Stamp Collecting Blog

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

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