December 13, 2011

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Favorite Parts & Kit Suppliers"

For tonight's discussion, let's discuss our favorite parts and kit suppliers. Each of us has his own experience with those who sell components and kits to hams so lets share our knowledge so that others can learn where to find that component made of unobtainium or just how to score the popular one-of-a-kind limited availability kits.

And of course this will be in addition to any specific questions one might have about the NUE-PSK, SDR Cube, Micro908, HC908VFO, DDS-60, ...
 

(Listen to MP3 recording)

Online chat discussion log ...
<20:09:10>"George - N2APB1": http://www.makershed.com
<20:10:04>"George - N2APB1": Lady Ada ... http://www.ladyada.net
<20:10:48>"George - N2APB1": http://www.norcalqrp.org
<20:11:21>"George - N2APB1": http://kd1jv.qrpradio.com
<20:11:42>"George - N2APB1": http://www.qrpkits.com
<20:12:24>"George - N2APB1": Wilderness Radio ... http://fix.net/~jparker/wild.html
<20:13:19>"George - N2APB1": jackson Harbor Press ...  http://www.wb9kzy.com/ham.htm
<20:14:28>"Bruce - N1RX": http://www.kitsandparts.com/ toroids, etc
<20:16:27>"George - N2APB1": Diz W8DIZ runs Kits and Parts ... great supply of toroids.  Responsive and great prices
<20:17:35>"John - KE3S": Small Wonder Labs
<20:17:55>"George - N2APB1": PICAXE supplier ... Peter H. Anderson
<20:19:08>"Joe - N2CX": http://www.phanderson.com/ ... do not type panderson - that is a baaasd  site!
<20:20:24>"Bruce - N1RX": Rex, W1REX the tuna-tin man at QRPme also has small picaxe kits http://www.qrpme.com
<20:21:31>"Joe - N2CX": Diz has reasonable shipping charge for small orders
<20:22:24>"Bob - wb6kwt": www.vakits.com/
<20:22:47>"Bruce - N1RX": one tip to consolidate shipping is to keep and maintain a list of items you want or need. Then place an order when you get enough to justify an order. It's the same as a grocery list- only go when it's worth it. Stock up!
<20:23:25>"Bruce - N1RX": Or, BEG on qrp-l etc. People can be nice!
<20:24:15>"Joe - N2CX": When you order cheap parts say you need one or two - consider ordreing 10 - you will need them later!
<20:24:33>"Chris - w0anm": Arduino Kits --> http://moderndevices.com , also have LCD serial kits.
<20:25:38>"Joe - N2CX": Geo,  forgot to mention Tony Parks - kits sell out quickly - tips for finding out when they are available.
<20:25:49>"Milt-W8NUE": www.allelectronics.com
<20:26:04>"Bruce - N1RX": http://www.amqrp.org/misc/links.html
<20:26:19>"Milt-W8NUE": www.goldmine-elec.com
<20:26:31>"Frank N3PUU": kb9yig
<20:29:20>"George - N2APB1": GREAT set of llinks that I use on a regular, daily basis ... http://www.amqrp.org/misc/links.html
<20:29:38>"Chris - w0anm": Hard to find parts, some interesting stuff -->  http://electronicplus.com
<20:29:52>"Milt-W8NUE": Oceanstate Electronics  http://www.oselectronics.com/
<20:30:01>"George - N2APB1": http://www.dspradio.org
<20:30:04>"Bruce - N1RX": http://thepartsplace.k5nwa.com/
<20:30:23>"Joe - N2CX": Ocean states has a bad rap from some for sloooooow shipping.
<20:31:05>"Chris - w0anm": Not qrp, but some QRO vintage parts  -->  http://www.surplussales.com/
<20:31:38>"Milt-W8NUE": Softrock kit info  www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/
<20:32:16>"Bruce - N1RX": www.smallwonderlabs.com
<20:36:12>"Chris - w0anm": I built the emtech transciever for 40M nice rig.  Tuner is nice too.
<20:36:38>"Milt-W8NUE": The ZM-2 is a compact 5-1/16" x 2-5/8" x 1-5/8" and weighs only 8 oz. Great for backpacking.
<20:38:33>"George - N2APB1": http://www.steadynet.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=25   ... POLYVARICONS
<20:40:51>"Joe - N2CX": Dan's small parts is another relatively good site.  Kits are ok but plenty of parts takes only cash!
<20:41:40>"Joe - N2CX": Jamecon is another big parts vendor that often has stuff that Digiey and Mouser do not.
<20:41:55>"Joe - N2CX": Make that Jameco not jamecon
<20:44:03>"Joe - N2CX": For LEDs try unclecytheledguy.com
<20:44:30>"George - N2APB1": http://unclecytheledguy.com/
<20:44:43>"George - N2APB1": POLYPAKS!!!!  Man, those were the days!
<20:45:15>"Joe - N2CX": Bruce I used to love John Meshna!
<20:45:49>"Bruce - N1RX": Yes!
<20:45:59>"Ray K2ULR": Marlin P. Jones  <http://www.mpja.com/>
<20:46:16>"Joe - N2CX": Historical info - at one time Radio  Shack was associated with Allied Electronics
<20:47:26>"Bruce - N1RX": We have a local Radio Shack and snowmobile repair shop, all in one. He has parts that have literally been on the shelf since the 1970s!
<20:48:18>"Bruce - N1RX": Pulling parts for old boards is a time-honored tradition. I have a few cubic feet of computer boards etc on hand for use as donors.
<20:52:40>"George - N2APB1": http://www.harborfreight.com/
<20:52:53>"Rick K3IND": Whatever happened to Lafayette for parts?
<20:54:34>"Ray K2ULR": HF has a "spot weld remover" which makes very nice pads for Manhattan construction
<20:55:46>"Ray K2ULR": <http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-95343.html>
<20:57:43>"Frank N3PUU": another place along the harbor freight line is Grizzly industrial
<20:59:47>"Joe - N2CX": Northern Hydraulics is another good tool source.
<21:03:08>"Milt-W8NUE": TI eZDSP C5535 site: http://www.ti.com/tool/tmdx5535ezdsp
<21:09:24>"Ted W2TAG": www.ldbepruchase.com has chineese equipment at decent prices.
<21:10:53>"Milt-W8NUE": http://magazine-subscription-search.com/prd101588.php
<21:12:22>"Joe - N2CX": http://www.rsgb.org/news-radcom/radcom/?month=December&year=2011
<21:12:29>"Ted W2TAG": I baught a bench counter 0.1 hz to 2.4 GHz, a Precision bench type RF signal generator and a bench DMM from them.
<21:13:32>"Ted W2TAG": All seem good. Has anybody else had experience with Chinese equipment?
<21:14:23>"Milt-W8NUE": may be of interest--just ordered one  L/C meter--- http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-LC100-A-Digital-LCD-High-Precision-Inductance-Capacitance-L-C-Meter-/270840165867