[R-390] OT: Rat Shack Drones

Wed, 7 May 2003 20:48:49 -0400

Heh heh heh, hah hah ho ho ho  uuuurrraaahhhh!

I just remembered something as I was reading your t/a ham vs. the satellite
dronesman account and realized/remembered something -- more of a flashback.

This place we're yakkin' about sprang from what?  Is still called what?
Radio Shack!  Who was the prime clientele way back when?

It's a class-A ROTFL -- when you remember its roots.  Try to explain that to
the kiddies runnin' the store.  "Well yuh see son, a waayy back in the
middle o' the previous century there was this big store and catalog house
that catered to guys like me."  "Say, that's very interesting sir, how about
a cell phone?"

Oh, well, they ARE two way radios and you can talk around the world with
'em.  Hey, you can even get a magic loop for those -- made of self stick
foil that increases the range. <sigh>

Barry

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom M." <[email protected]>
To: "Gene Beckwith" <[email protected]>; "Barry Hauser" <[email protected]>
Cc: "Tom M." <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 7:43 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] OT: Rat Shack Drones

> Forgot to mention, when I went in there to get the $10 loop, dude says
"How
> about a sat dish to go with that!"  I told him, sure, give me a couple.
>
> Now what goober thinks that a tight-ass ham who is only breaking off $10
on a
> closeout item is going to spontaneously drop several hundred because he
> recommends it?
>
> Tom
> --- Gene Beckwith <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Barry,
> >
> > Well said...I always think that someone is scripting the folks in the
Rat
> > Shack...no real people could be like that .... errr .... I hope not
...but
> > sure
> > would be intersting where the RS  management finds them...?  Scarry to
think
> > the
> > management is just like them... and btw...I've seen the little
drawers...at
> > least your's had something in them . .  8>(
> >
> > Gene
> >
> > Barry Hauser wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks for the heads up, Tom.  Good news is that the price is down,
bad
> > news
> > > is they're discontinuing the few remaining items of interest to most
of us,
> > > in favor of name brand general consumer goods and -- yup -- MORE
phones.
> > > The one near here (and probably all of them) put in cabinets with
drawers
> > > for the small parts, like caps, resistors, connectors, etc. Only
problem is
> > > that the cubbies in the drawers are too small -- so what did they do?
Cut
> > > the tops of the blister packs off!
> > >
> > > For a while there they had the same nice group running it, but then
> > turnover
> > > set in again.  I always love it (arrrgggh) when they greet me at the
door
> > > asking if they can help me.  I feel like saying "Not really kid --
first,
> > > you won't know what the heck I'm talking about and second, you won't
be
> > able
> > > to find it."
> > >
> > > Also love it when they say -- Oh, we don't carry those.  Then I find
it on
> > > the wall and flash the thing and say "You mean these -- you don't
carry
> > > these?  I see, OK, must be mine then."
> > >
> > > Have to admit, I am grateful when I find some part that goes into an
R-390
> > > in there, but you should have seen what I had to go through to buy a
50 ohm
> > > BNC jumper in the place.
> > >
> > > If I had my way and enough money, I'd buy out the chain and rename it
> > > "R-390's 'r Us -- Plus Phones!"  Go broke, y' think, eh?  People would
come
> > > in asking what the heck is an R-390 -- and we'd explain, show them the
new
> > > R-390S with all-wave automatic tuning, stereo FM and AM, satellite,
etc.
> > for
> > > $3,499.95 - -and then sell 'em another cell phone or maybe a super
deluxe
> > > waterproof shower radio -- the R-392S.
> > >
> > > Aside from the money, I'd need some key personnel to bring it off.
Hope
> > > that Iraqi Information Minister didn't get himself blown up.  "No,
this is
> > > not a cheap stereo (knobs falling off).  Our batteries have a lifetime
> > > guarantee (Is Saddam dead yet?).  Yes, you need the 3 year extended
> > > warranty, even though it will double what you are paying.  No that is
not
> > > static, it's part of the music.  3TF7's?  Yes we have plenty in stock,
but
> > > have a look at this matched pair of 6V6's meanwhile.  How about a new
cell
> > > phone with a color screen.  You can get Radio Baghdad on it.  OK,
maybe
> > not,
> > > but here's the CNN web site. OH NO, that was true!"
> > >
> > > Aww, maybe not.
> > >
> > > BTW -- what's the catalog number of that loop antenna?  The only thing
they
> > > can find without the number are the batteries -- well, most of  'em,
OK
> > some
> > > of 'em.
> > >
> > > Barry
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Tom M." <[email protected]>
> > > To: <[email protected]>
> > > Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2003 10:23 AM
> > > Subject: [R-390] OT: Rat Shack Loops $10
> > >
> > > > Gentlemen?
> > > >
> > > > Rat Shack discontinued their little resonant AM loop ant.
> > > >
> > > > They were $30, reduced to $10.  I got the last one at my local store
> > (rone
> > > says
> > > > "Dude, I don't know what you're talkin' about . . ..oh, those!  What
do
> > > they
> > > > do???"
> > > >
> > > > Anywho, they ain't Kiwa but for $10 yuou can't lose.  Works just
like my
> > > > homemade one, only much prettier (relative term).
> > > >
> > > > Tom
> > > >
> > > > __________________________________
> > > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > > The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
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> >
>
>
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