Radio Shack having a tough go of it

[WA3VJB]

I always told myself it was re-branded Kester or some respectable brand

Like their Concertone open reel tape was really made by 3M.

[K1JJ]

Their dive into computers in ~1979? was interesting.    My first computer was a 64K TRS-80 with four floppy drives ganged together.  I almost sprang for their 20 meg hard drive for $1200.   It wasn't a bad system considering it used Dos 1.xx  and programmmed in Basic.  I could do almost everything I needed to do at the time.

Their big desk-computer monster crashed and burned.

RS probably thought they had it made until the common XT PC's  and Apple started to take a bite out.


It's always amazed me how the early pioneers do not always corner the market. They get the arrows in their backs and the Johnny-come-lately's make all the dough later on.    


T

[W2VW]

I always told myself it was re-branded Kester or some respectable brand

Like their Concertone open reel tape was really made by 3M.

Probably all their stuff was re-branded.

[KX5JT]

Their dive into computers in ~1979? was interesting.    My first computer was a 64K TRS-80 with four floppy drives ganged together.  I almost sprang for their 20 meg hard drive for $1200.   It wasn't a bad system considering it used Dos 1.xx  and programmmed in Basic.  I could do almost everything I needed to do at the time.

Their big desk-computer monster crashed and burned.

RS probably thought they had it made until the common XT PC's  and Apple started to take a bite out.


It's always amazed me how the early pioneers do not always corner the market. They get the arrows in their backs and the Johnny-come-lately's make all the dough later on.    


T

I thought I was so cool with my 4K COCO when I upgraded it myself to 16K for about 15 bucks mail ordered.  RS wanted 150 bucks installed to bring it up to 16K .  I had bought the RAINBOW magazine that was dedicated to the COCO and read an article, ordered the RAM and viola!!!  Because of this successful self-install, that 13 yr old kid went on to a career in IT.



It was quite a jump from my first PC.... the Sinclair ZX-81 with 1K RAM....

[K1JJ]

Gads.. check out these 1982 prices for their desk computer and accessories:
 
Desk - $350
Computer - $3450 (32K RAM) - $3899 (64K RAM)
Disk Expansion - $1150 (1 disk drive) - $2350 (3 disk drives)
Line Printer III - $1999


Computer history:

1921: - Radio Shack begins as a one-store retail and mail-order company catering to ham operators and electronics buffs.
1963: - Charles Tandy buys the chain of stores, and within two years turned a $4 million dollar loss into a $20 million dollar profit.
1977: August - Radio Shack announces the TRS-80 Model I microcomputer for US$600.

1977: September - One month after launching the TRS-80, 10,000 are sold.

1979: May - Tandy/Radio Shack announces the TRS-80 Model II.

1979: October - Radio Shack begins shipping the TRS-80 Model II to users.

1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model III, priced from US$700 to US$2500.

1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Color Computer, and sells for US$400.

1980: July - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer. Price is US$230.

1981: January - Radio Shack ceases production of the TRS-80 Model I, and recalls units from the US market, due to failure to meet new FCC radio-frequency interference regulations.

1982: January - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model 16, with 8-inch floppy drives, and optional 8-MB hard drive.

1982: January - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer, Model PC-2, for US$280.

1983: March - Radio Shack announces its TRS-80 Model 100 portable computer. Price is US$799 for 8KB version, to US$1134 for the 32KB version.

1983: May - Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model 4, for US$2000.

1983: October - Tandy/Radio Shack announces the "transportable" TRS-80 Model 4P, for US$1800.

1983: Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer, Model PC-4, replacing the PC-1, for US$70.

1983: Tandy releases the TRS-80 Model 2000, which uses the Intel 80186 microprocessor.

1983: Radio Shack unveils the TRS-80 Model 12 at the CP/M '83 Show. Price is US$3200.

1985: March - Radio Shack introduces the Tandy 6000 multiuser system. It features Z80A and 68000 processors, 512 KB RAM, 80x24 text, graphics, 1.2-MB 8-inch disk, optional 15 MB hard drive, TRS-DOS, or XENIX 3.0. It supports up to 9 use

2015: The ARRL buys Radio Shack and renames it "Hiram's Shack."

[K5UJ]

One of the biggest mistakes I made in my career salad days was dismissing "home computers" as toys and not taking them seriously.  All my work was with time sharing main frame systems.  I just didn't think anything that was stand-alone and so limited could ever do much.   

For a time Radio Shack sold rebranded SM58s.  They were a good deal.  They had other stuff that was okay to mess around with just for fun.  I got one of their 10 meter AM/SSB rigs when they blew them out.   5 or 10 w. AM as I recall.  But to work anyone with a typical mobile antenna the band has to be seriously open.   A few months ago we had some 10 m. openings and I tried it then.  No joy.

[Jim, W5JO]

Remember the packets of various parts?  RS would buy parts swept off the floor at places like Motorola's FT Worth plants and at various other manufacturing facilities in the Metroplex.  When builders dropped parts they did not pick it up, rather got another out of the bin.  

At the end of shift the janitors swept the parts off the floor and bagged them.  RS would pay bottom dollar for the bags, sort them and sell in packs.  In the 70-80 time frame there were a lot of plants there to furnish RS.

[Opcom]

I always told myself it was re-branded Kester or some respectable brand

Like their Concertone open reel tape was really made by 3M.

Probably all their stuff was re-branded.

I was told that the cheapest brand of their 1/4 inch audio tape was old 9-track & other 1/2" tape, and also 1" computer and video tape that had been put on a machine and split. It is of course fine for audio.

[WA3VJB]

I was told that the cheapest brand of their 1/4 inch audio tape was old 9-track & other 1/2" tape, and also 1" computer and video tape that had been put on a machine and split. It is of course fine for audio.

Yes, I remember those stories too, including an allegation the tape had been used in computer service and discarded after one pass, as part of quality control. Then they cut and spooled it onto standard 7" reels.   Never found any trace of previous passes by a tape head or guides however, so that might have been an ugly rumor started by their rivals at Lafayette or wherever.

PLUS, I was assured "first quality" and it said it right on the box.

One thing I did notice, whenever I had some extra cash to buy their premium grade tape (red and white box, none handy for a photo), is that the oxide on the good stuff was dark brown instead of black, the aroma from the binder was different, and the backing was Mylar instead of polyester.  SO who knows.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Mylar is a trade name for polyester film.

[WU2D]

I got my novice on one of these sending MCW on channel 14 to my buddy and couple of blocks away. Actually he had the Archer and I had the Sears kids base station but both had code keys.

[w1vtp]

<snip>

2015: The ARRL buys Radio Shack and renames it "Hiram's Shack."

Had me going for a second.   

[NE4AM]

I try to buy what I can from the local RS for my projects - miniature audio transformers, 1/4" phone jacks, IRF510s.  The low-value capacitor assortments are useful - get 50 or so NP0 caps ranging from 1 to 150 pF, good for VFOs and filters. 
Since the local store hired this gorgeous young salesbabe - who looks like she could be Betty Page's granddaughter - I've been going in a lot more often!

73 Dave

[W1RKW]

I got my novice on one of these sending MCW on channel 14 to my buddy and couple of blocks away. Actually he had the Archer and I had the Sears kids base station but both had code keys.

Boy, that brings back memories. I got reported to the FCC back in the mid 70's when I was a teen because a friend of mine had one of those RS Space Patrols and I had a licensed 27Mhz CB. My OM flipped when he was informed by the FeeCee by letter that his licensed station was communicating with a non-license station. I wasn't old enough to hold the license myself being under 18. But the potential 10K fine caught his attention.  Who would've figured living out in tree land that someone would care.  My OM responded to the FeeCee and all was fine after that but I got my ration.  But it didn't stop there. Harassment followed which is another story. Turned out to be some anal prick up the road who wanted to be ham but couldn't cut the mustard with CW back then, not that I was in the right. But it was an interesting time.  The guy was a piece of work even afterwards until the local PD was asked to step in when he'd show up in my parents driveway.