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Where To Get Sets and Parts For discussions about swapmeets, rallies, NVCF and BVWS, car boot sales, antique and charity shops, dealers, newspaper adverts, the local tip and just about any other source of equipment (other than eBay). |
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23rd Oct 2014, 6:23 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Coningsby, Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 2,814
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Re: Tandy
Certainly not old news to me! Thanks for that link.
I remember whenever I went to visit my grandparents up in Newark, my Grandad would take me to the Tandy shop there! I'll keep them bookmarked as I'm going to need some bits to make a burglar alarm for the shed Regards, Lloyd |
25th Oct 2014, 1:14 pm | #3 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Bath, Avon, UK
Posts: 235
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Re: Tandy
They are certainly good on prices, nice link, think I shall be using them soon Andy
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25th Oct 2014, 5:22 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,736
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Re: Tandy
As you say, good prices on the limited range currently available, and nice easy site to search! Thanks for posting the link.
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25th Oct 2014, 7:45 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,550
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Re: Tandy
Well according to them there has been a resurgence in hobby electronics. This would be good news and a reversal of current trends. Hopefully they'll give Maplin some competition.
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25th Oct 2014, 11:08 pm | #6 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 3,051
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Re: Tandy
A brief browse is a bit like time-travel. Most of ther stock seems to be typical '80s and '90s (74LS TTL, 555 etc).
I'm not complaining by any means - this is the sort of stuff I still use and want! I would have guessed that they were selling off their old stock, except that I bought quite a large part of my local store's stock for a few pounds when they closed down, and I presume that other branches disposed of stuff in the same way. |
26th Oct 2014, 7:51 pm | #7 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Stevenage, Herts. UK.
Posts: 1,515
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Re: Tandy
Not much you can build with only 6 resistor values though! I fondly remember the original Tandy, they had a fair amount of quirky stuff unobtainable elsewhere.
Regards, Paul |
26th Oct 2014, 8:07 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
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Re: Tandy
I think this will appeal to people of a certain age. Youngsters who don't know the Tandy name will no doubt find a better selection of stuff, potentially at a better price, elsewhere.
£1 postage is a great attraction, though not quite as nice as being able to nip down to the High Street as in the good old days. Nick. |
27th Oct 2014, 11:40 pm | #9 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
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Re: Tandy
I spent many a saturday morning in Tandy playing with the TRS80s and looking at the components and radio controlled planes etc.
Wasnt Radio Shack something to do with them too? |
28th Oct 2014, 10:24 am | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Bath, Somerset, UK.
Posts: 1,804
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Re: Tandy
Yes, Tandy was the UK arm of Radio Shack which remains a successful company in the US.
Neil
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preserving the recent past, for the distant future. |
28th Oct 2014, 3:15 pm | #11 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK.
Posts: 21,193
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Re: Tandy
There used to be two branches of Tandy in Ipswich within a couple of hundred yard of each other. I think much of their business was selling scanners to people who wanted to listen to police transmissions. Best thing I ever bought from them was a 13.8V 20A power supply which is still going strong.
I think they sold the shops to one of the mobile phone suppliers and for a time the component packs were offered at knock down prices alongside mobile phones. Tandy or maybe Radio Shack also had shops in Australia and I remember buying a mains adaptor from one. They must have had a hard time competing with Dick Smith Electronics.
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29th Oct 2014, 10:48 am | #12 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK.
Posts: 2,552
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Re: Tandy
Thanks for the link.
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30th Oct 2014, 3:54 pm | #13 |
Hexode
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, UK.
Posts: 268
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Re: Tandy
Graham,
I remember when that happened, Can't remember which mobile phone supplier it was though. They sold off loads of stuff including Folio powerpad and notepad audio mixers. I was a bit miffed as the guy in front of me bought the last powerpad in the shop. I did get lots of semiconductors and resistor packs and popentiometers etc. I have just come across a '25th anniversary' catalogue - 1998/9. Oh those memories. Stuart.
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Half my stuff is junk - luckily, my wife doesn't know which half! Last edited by Kala_12; 30th Oct 2014 at 3:59 pm. Reason: Added comment |
30th Oct 2014, 4:11 pm | #14 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
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Re: Tandy
Tandy (UK) were bought out by Carphone Warehouse at the end of the last century.
At one time the international part of Radio Shack [UK, Australia etc] was legally owned by a Canadian-registered holding company called "InterTAN". |
30th Oct 2014, 6:05 pm | #15 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
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Re: Tandy
If I remember...
The Tandy corporation was registered in Fort Worth, Texas and was the holding company. I think there was something about non-profit as well! Through the usual sort of chain of command, they operated a franchising business which controlled the Radio Shack shops in the US. They wanted to set up the same in the UK but found the Radio Shack name was already registered by a long-standing amateur radio retailer. So they fell back to the Tandy name, which is relatively unknown in the US. David
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31st Oct 2014, 10:39 pm | #16 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK.
Posts: 2,801
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Re: Tandy
Prior to setting up in retail, they marketed a small range via mail order as ROC (Realistic
Overseas Corp) you can see the ads in early 1970's editions of Practical Wireless. Tandy had some good points (Free Battery Club Card) and bad, e.g. a new product was offered at 50% off for the first two months, then the price doubled. Some of the books were good (and of US origin) and some inexpensive components. |
31st Oct 2014, 11:45 pm | #17 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
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Re: Tandy
Add to the bad points that they wouldn't let you out of the shop without getting an address to send their bumf to.
I always gave 1601 Pennsylvania Ave Washington, USA. So they weren't too bothered about accuracy as long as they got something. David
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
1st Nov 2014, 12:01 am | #18 |
Heptode
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 704
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Re: Tandy
The free batteries were always welcome! The green alkalines were pretty good and the less expensive red cells also performed well. I recently got one of their 200-in-1 project kits still with a set of the green cells still in it. Not leaked and still have charge in them!!!
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2nd Nov 2014, 9:19 pm | #19 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 237
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Re: Tandy
Wow the Tandy battery club! I almost forgot that - i was an avid member, always going for the PP3 as it was worth the most (well I was just a kid then..!)
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2nd Nov 2014, 9:34 pm | #20 |
Hexode
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Near Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK, most of the time and Crystal Palace, S London, some of the time..
Posts: 330
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Re: Tandy
I also seem to remember them advertising valves with a "lifetime" guarantee as well.
Ian |