I Got One Here Somewhere or What to do when Radio Shack is 50 miles and it's snowingÉ BOB-O Schultze KG6MM I'm a hacker. No, no, I'm not into viruses, bugs, and such, in fact I don't even DO computers. Oh, I know enough bits about bytes to hold up my end of a conversation at a party, but I just don't get off on digital. Keep your And, Or, Nand, Nor Flip-flops. Gimme your diodes, transistors, capacitors and 'simple' IC's like 555's, OP Amps and Voltage regulators. Now we're talkin! And I'll take my components with real wires coming out of 'em, thank you, none of that surface mount stuff that requires the hands of a brain surgeon to fix. No, ya see, I'm an ANALOG hacker. Mid-tech, if you will. So? I like to fix things and being as I'm into radio too, my neighbors tend to drop by with most anything having a speaker attached to it that no longer works. Some get a quick inspection, a quicker blessing, and are summarily consigned to the 'junque' box. Most are quickly repairable, IF you have a good stash of parts. For all of us who are quantumly-less-then-wealthy, there's the rub. The Solution Mail-order parts stores. With a little forethought and something like HALF the money you'd spend at Radio Shack, you can have it right there, waiting. Wait, there's more. How many times have you had an idea for some circuit or improvement but didn't get 'round tuit' for want of a handy 50 ohm pot or whatever? There went the vacation home in Tahiti! Access Here are some of my favorites: Jameco Electronics, 1355 Shoreway Road, Belmont, CA 94002. For new (not surplus) parts and components, these guys are hard to beat. How's this-LM317T voltage regulators (see HP 5,6) 65˘ (Radio Shack-$1.99), 555 timer-29˘, 1N4001 diodes 10 for 70˘, 1/4 watt pots-15˘, .01 ceramic caps-10 for 80˘. Portable butane soldering iron (a real goodie)-$19.99 (check RS at $29.99). On and on, etc. and etc. 70 pages worth. Free catalog. Only drawback is $20. minimum order, but for $20. you can stock your component larder, but good! Fair Radio Sales, POBox 1105, Lima, OH 45802 Hacker's heaven. 'World's Finest Electronic Surplus' Wonderful goodies and junque and ridiculous prices. Relays, knobs, switches, meters, oh my! Cheap. Remember the 25 Watt, 250 ohm rheostat called for in HP#2 as an alternator field controller? A buck and a half. Love it. $5.00 min. order, free catalog but you may have to wait for the spring printing as they go fast. Hosfelt Electronics Inc., 2700 Sunset Blvd., Stubenville, OH 43952 Oddball fun surplus stuff. Low voltage gear motors, 12VDC brushless muffin fans (quiet,very), mic cords, power cords, switches, connectors and adaptors to connect and/or adapt anything to everything, tools, thermal switches (make a heat-actuated circulating fan gizmo for yer woodstove!), tons of other neat stuff. Free catalog, NO min. order. I'm sure other HP folks can and (hopefully) will write in with others, but these are the funnest we've seen. Have fun!