[FARC] 7th St Radio Shack saves the day again

[Bob Moroney]

David,

That's what I thought as well, and I think that was pretty much the case 
a few years ago.  But my eyes were opened a few months ago when, after 
receiving a video card from Newegg that turned out to be nothing like 
the one pictured on their web site (card length and number of slots 
taken up were important), I called PC/MD and actually found a much 
better card there, at a much better price.  Predictably, when I went to 
pick it up, I also walked out with a couple other couldn't-pass-up 
bargains from their shelves.  PC/MD also accepts donations of older PCs, 
which they recycle to less-advantaged areas of the country and/or 
hemisphere, a service that I plan to check out in the near future. 

But Joe's right on the 7th St. Radio Shack - it's the best of the bunch 
in Frederick, and pretty much always has been.

Some years ago, the manager there was a Ham, so that may account for 
some of the distinction.  He used to set up at our Hamfest, and he did 
well there and donated some good door prizes.  The guy moved on in his 
career long ago, but even then the 7th St. store still carried a lot of 
stuff that the others didn't.  

But Radio Shack Inc. itself has changed hugely since their Ham CEO 
retired a few years ago.  The sad reality is that Joe may have snagged 
the last DB9 F/F serial cable in the entire chain's nationwide 
inventory, quietly hanging on its appointed peg at the 7th St. store 
since the good old days back in the late '90's, only disturbed as it was 
dusted off and scanned in for annual inventory. 

And now it's gone.  (sob.) 

Perhaps the passing of an era, but at least the cable goes on to a 
better existence, having found suitable mating connectors (with no 
gender change needed, thank you) and carrying bits as it was originally 
meant to do. 

;-)

73, Bob K9CMR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
David Kindred wrote:
> Thanks, Bob, I didn't know that PC/MD had a store presence; I thought they
> were house calls only. I'll have to drop by. Thanks also for the heads-up on
> Mr. Geek's. 
>
> 73,
>
> --David, K3PO
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: farc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:farc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
> Behalf Of Bob Moroney
> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 5:56 PM
> To: Frederick, Maryland ARC
> Subject: Re: [FARC] 7th St Radio Shack saves the day again
>
>
> Another good local PC resource is The PC/MD in the Green Valley strip 
> mall on Rt. 80.  They're just East of the re-opened drag strip.  They 
> carry a lot of the less-commonly-found parts and accessories, at 
> reasonable prices, and their store hours seem to be pretty 
> customer-friendly (i.e., they stay open late).  And if they don't have 
> it, they'll get it in short order.  (They may go down to TCP in Gburg to 
> do so, but at least they save you the drive...)
>
> A place also recently opened on Main St. in Mt. Airy, called Mr. Geek's 
> PC Store.  They have a few mainstream accessories that folks might need 
> (wireless routers, LAN cables, etc.), but they've got a ways to go to 
> catch up to the grab bag of stuff at The PC/MD.
>
> 73, Bob K9CMR
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> David Kindred wrote:
>   
>> Hey, Joe,
>>
>> You might want to take a look at The Computer Place 
>> (www.tcponline.com) on the corner of Quince Orchard and Clopper in 
>> Gaithersburg sometime. I've gotten cables (some more obscure) from 
>> them, and their prices are a lot better than RS.
>>
>> --David
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: farc-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>> [mailto:farc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Joseph M. Durnal
>> Sent: Friday, April 17, 2009 4:31 PM
>> To: Frederick, Maryland ARC
>> Subject: [FARC] 7th St Radio Shack saves the day again
>>
>>
>> I can't say enough good things about the Radio Shack on 7th street in 
>> Frederick.  I needed an RS232 serial cable, DB9 female to DB9 female 
>> straight through, and sure enough, they had it.  It was quite 
>> expensive at $20, but they had it.  I was almost sure I'd have to 
>> order one and not have it for the weekend!
>>
>> 73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R
>>