Radio Shack Catalogs

[Flatpicker]

I just found this site. My first hifi was a Realistic that I talked my parents into getting me for Christmas one year (around 1971). I used to sit and look at these for hours back then. The old ones are really interesting. They had a lot more audio parts in the 40's than I had imagined.

https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/index.htm#main_catalogs

 

[Rusan]

Thanks for posting this!

My first dive into electronics was the 7-note electronic organ kit on page 96 of the 1976 catalog, which was followed by the 150 in One Electronic Project Kit on page 154 of the 1977 edition. My first multimeter and soldering iron were bought at Radio Shack, so I wouldn't have to use Grandpa's. I grew up in a rural area, and most kids wanted a new toy or a sweet treat when their parents took them to town. I wanted a new electronics kit from Radio Shack. As I type this, there's a Radio Shack tape head demagnetizer and bottle of isopropyl tape head cleaner sitting on a shelf behind me (bought in the early 80s), and that little multimeter from the '70s is around here somewhere.

OMG, the memories....

 

[Flatpicker]

As I type this, there's a Radio Shack tape head demagnetizer and bottle of isopropyl tape head cleaner sitting on a shelf behind me (bought in the early 80s)

I still have my Radio Shack demagnetizer too! They are handy for demagnetizing tweezers to keep SMD parts from sticking to them.

 

[Rusan]

I still have my Radio Shack demagnetizer too! They are handy for demagnetizing tweezers to keep SMD parts from sticking to them.

Mine still also works great; even the tiny incandescent bulb that illuminates the clear plastic wand when activated still works, despite being 40 years old. It's only used for demagnetizing tools these days, as the only tape machine I still have hasn't been used in about 15 years. I shoulda NEVER got rid of my old 1/2" Tascam, which of course happened when I was between the ages of 13 and 25, a time period during which all we human beings, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender, are plagued with a disease called 100% pure Grade A1 Stoopit.

 

[crazydoc]

I had (and still have somewhere) an old Allied Radio catalog back in the 70's that I used to spec semiconductors, until I found a bunch of National Semiconductor data books at a yard sale. Then the www came along of course.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I remember going to our local Radio Shack to ogle the various offerings in the late 70s and early 80s. I still have my first meter, a Micronta clamshell type with mirrored display. Who else had an R-S battery card?

 

[JohnRoberts]

My early electronics adventures was fueled by Lafayette Radio a chain up in the north east.

For years I used a cheap ($20?) Rat Shack VOM for my home bench, and it worked adequately... I eventually broke down (after it broke down for the last time) and bought a decent Fluke, and one or two other cheapo's for use outside.

JR

 

[Rusan]

I remember going to our local Radio Shack to ogle the various offerings in the late 70s and early 80s.

Me too; Radio Shack and Heathkit were absolutely essential to my basic biological functioning in those days. I was big-time into it and was a total addict, "Hello, my name is Rusan, and I'm an electronics kit-aholic."

....a Micronta clamshell type with mirrored display.

Was that the one where the leads stored inside a little compartment in the case with the meter? I carried one of those for years in my gig bag, because you didn't have to worry about the leads getting snagged and tangled with all the other stuff.

Who else had an R-S battery card?

Wow, I'd forgotten all about the Radio Shack Battery Club. What a hoot!

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Me too; Radio Shack and Heathkit were absolutely essential to my basic biological functioning in those days. I was big-time into it and was a total addict, "Hello, my name is Rusan, and I'm an electronics kit-aholic."

I mostly spent my few dollars on other hobbies until 1984 when I started college and got into electronics in earnest.

Was that the one where the leads stored inside a little compartment in the case with the meter? I carried one of those for years in my gig bag, because you didn't have to worry about the leads getting snagged and tangled with all the other stuff.

No, this is 22-211. Maybe 3x4" and 2.5" thick when closed. 20k ohms/V. When I graduated my grandfather gave me a Fluke 77, so the Micronta got very little use after that.

Wow, I'd forgotten all about the Radio Shack Battery Club. What a hoot!

 

[sodderboy]

I remember going to our local Radio Shack to ogle the various offerings in the late 70s and early 80s. I still have my first meter, a Micronta clamshell type with mirrored display. Who else had an R-S battery card?

RS battery card. Ya. So 80's.
Crystal radio kit, leather burning kit, rocket kit. So 70's.
Getting a [insert cool component] locally to fix [insert broken studio junk here] in a pinch. So 80's, 90's, and 00's for me.
My all-time RS build was a passive monitor rig with the 3-1 stereo RCA switcher with a wired 10k stereo volume pot drilled on the front panel. RS elegance. I made many cassette and DAT dupe rigs with that setup.
Mike