[Boatanchors] RATSHACK?

[Horace W. Hall]

Jeff wrote:
> Customer service is dead, ladies and gentlemen. <

Indeed it appears to be, and yet we all heard all the hoopla about how the
US would be transitioning from a manufacturing based economy to a largely
service economy. hmmmm.....  Well, they didn't say it would be *good*
service. <G>

As Grant said, it is easy to take potshots at Radio Shack, but they have
been better, & they still turn up the occasional surprise or the common
items (solder, fuses, etc.) that you just have to have right away.  On a
recent crosscountry trip, I'd forgotten to pack my laptop power cord. I
stopped in a smalltown Wyoming RS store, hoping to find bits to cobble a
kludge cable with, & there on the wire rack was the exact Compaq cable I
needed. Nowhere else in 100s of miles to turn for help, & I sure didn't
expect what I found, but they sure made that a better trip for me. So, even
though they are the source of many funny stories, & I love to hear them,
I'm glad RS is still out there.

One day in the future, hams may be sitting around reminiscing over how they
used to be able to get small parts & stuff from the local Radio Shack with
its amusing clueless staff, & how its too bad they are all gone. To help
forstall that day, I try to fill as many of my parts needs as I can from
the RS in town that has the better staff.

--Wayne
  WB4OGM