Blast from the Past

[dad911]

Spent many hours flipping through Radio Shack catalogs in the late 60's-Early 70's. Well here they all are online:

Radio Shack Catalogs

Here are some Heathkit/Lafayette catalogs:

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Electronics_Catalogs.htm

[jcommin]

Thanks for posting this and taking me back to my childhood in the late 50s and early 60s. My dad took me to the Allied store on Western Avenue in Chicago to buy tubes, meters and electrical components. I remember getting a radio kit the we built together - it was a Christmas gift. I flipped thru the 1960 catalog from your link. I remember being board when we went there - but it was big and always busy. too young and stupid to appreciate the time that was spent there - you post brought a smile to my face.

BTW, the building is still there. My son's business is nearby. When I pass by, I can't help recall the times my dad took me there.

[GH85Carrera]

I miss the old day of going to a Radio Shack and talking to employees that actually understood the basics of electronics. My last visit to one was nothing but tow counter monkeys that pushed to sell me batteries. I asked if they had a thermistor, and he looked like I had asked him for plutonium.

[sammyg2]

Around here, it would be easier to find plutonium than a radio shack store that hasn't been closed down.

If we want electronics we have to go to Fry's and buy something that has been returned three times and put back on the shelf even though it is defective or missing parts.

[unclebilly]

I was at the electronics supply store, B&E Electronics and was surprised to see that they had old school electric sets like we enjoyed at kids.

Don’t kid yourselves, some kids today are even more techy than we were. Today’s electric set is a RaspberryPi or an Arduino and the associated sensors and servos.

I interviewed 6 engineering coop students yesterday and it restored my faith in some of our youth.

I didn’t ask about grease guns.

[pwd72s]

Enjoyed the old healthkit catalog...had a buddy who was into Ham radio..all made from Heathkit gear. He had a collection of cards sent to him from all over the planet confirming that they talked in Morse code.

Yeah..geeky, but I thought it was cool.

[T77911S]

good movie

[Tobra]

My brother built the Heathkit Distortion Booster on page 92 of the 1971 catalog, he may still have it.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

....
Don’t kid yourselves, some kids today are even more techy than we were. Today’s electric set is a RaspberryPi or an Arduino and the associated sensors and servos.

I interviewed 6 engineering coop students yesterday and it restored my faith in some of our youth......

I agree. I mentored a high school First Robotics team. I've seen kids learn solidworks, programming, etc in a few weeks, and come up with some amazing ideas for the robots.

My first computer was a heathkit, H-8. still have the chassis. Cost over $2000 at the time, and a $30 rasberryPi is far more powerful.

I built alot of heathkit computers, store used to pay me to assemble computers, test equipment, etc. also built a few TVs

Still have various test equipment, and a Hero robot.

[GH85Carrera]

Back in the early 70s digital stuff was the "cool" stuff. I wanted a digital clock in my 914, center console. I found a Heathkit digital clock that I built. I carefully removed the panel from the 914 that had the three instruments, measured and traced and built a new solid wood panel. The wood was something I found in a scrap pile of a local millwork. I had them cut it down to the basic dimensions, and run it thorough a planer and finish sand it. All I had to do was drill the holes for the remaining two instruments, and build the rectangular space for the clock. I was careful not to destroy the factory connections. The clock worked great and I was digital!

Finally many years later I was tired of the digital clock, and put it all back stock. I think I have that wooden panel up in a box in my attic. Likely all trash by now.

[A930Rocket]

Every time I went to Radio Shack they asked for a name and address.

Someone was getting catalogs they didn’t order I’m guessing.