[Hallicrafters] Tubes and more (AES Tempe and an alternative)

[Bruce Wright]

Dave, Peter, et al...

The Antique Electronic Supply (Tempe) situation hasn't gone unnoticed by a 
large number of "radio" folks who have depended on them for tubes and parts 
for many years...You could see the shift gradually taking place over the 
past few years by the product offerings within their catalog...More recent 
reports from numerous folks as posted on Internet forums seem to cast a 
clouded picture concerning the attitude there as manifest in their policies 
and offerings.

For those who are perhaps unaware, there is a somewhat smaller-sized tubes 
and parts vendor in Upstate New York called RadioDaze...Not quite the 
comprehensive selection of radio parts available from AES in the days of old 
but never-the-less, a decent one that somewhat mimics the AES offerings of 
old...Although they don't have an on-line "shopping cart" order process at 
this point-in-time, they are nice folks that put forth a good selection at 
good prices with fast delivery plus a good attitude toward the "radio" 
customer...Prompt replies to e-mail inquiries are the rule there.

http://www.radiodaze.com

FWIW and as per standard operating procedure, no connection to AES or 
RadioDaze.

Bruce
WC5CW


Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 21:19:05 -0700
From: David Hollander <n7rk at cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] History
To: Peter Markavage <manualman at juno.com>
Cc: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: <44C59BB9.9020200 at cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Antique Electronics Supply has always been in Tempe since they opened.
It was never in Mesa. It's been many, many years since they let people
behind the counter. The guy who started it sold it to some non-radio
people quite a few years ago and things changed drastically. As of the
last 12 months, they really don't even want to deal with walk-ins and
the local people. You have to phone in your order in the morning and you
can pick it up between 3:30 and 4 pm. Sad! They appear more interested
in selling audio stuff...

It's such a hassle, I rather give my business to someone who is out of
state.

I grew up in Southern California and my dad and I used to go into Henry
radio in Anaheim. This was 1964 to 1972. I recall piles of used
equipment and for some reason what stands out in my mind were stacks of
used RME converters, the ones that match the RME 45. Walt Henry was
retired military and all of the guys working behind the counter were
also retired military. I believe the requiremnts for working there were
to be required military with no people skills. In the late 60's me and
my other ham friend all had long hair and the employee were pretty awful
to us when we came in the store to buy parts or whatever. They always
had everything you could want if you were going to build a project from
QST or the handbook.

One last memory from Henry Radio. I used to meet my dad, N6UC who was
than WB6UDC for lunch every Friday after I started driving. We always
went to Henry Radio to look around after we ate. One time we went into
the showroom where the new equipment was displayed. Their was an
overweight, sloppily dressed really disheveled looking guy playing with
an very expensive receiver. My dad whispered to me "look, that Marlon
Brando. I said "yea, sure it is. That guy looks like a homeless person."
  I went back in the room about 10 minutes later and he was gone. I
walked over to the receiver he had been playing with and their was a
sold tag on it. It said sold to Marlon Brando. For those who are newer
hams, Marlon Brandon now SK had a "6" call and and FO5GJ call for his
island in French Polynesia. He is still listed in QRZ.

http://www.qrz.com/callsign/FO5GJ

The two other stores that were in Orange County in the mid 1960's were
Santa Ana Electronics which had some ham equipment and Robinson
Electronics which closed shortly after I got my license. I don't recall
anything about those two places.

Coincidentally, HRO in Anaheim, CA is in the same strip shop center that
Henry Radio was in.

Dave N7RK