Well while adding to my check-it-out in my spare time sites.....
www.jabdog.co.uk came up empty. Any of the letters in error?
I wouldn't have a guess as to a search for your site listed
Thanks K4TWO Gary



"Highland Ham" wrote in message
news:2s2dnZ2dnZ24ZZfxnZ2dnVgGkt6dnZ2dRVnyqZ2dnZ0@p ipex.net...
There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together
====================================
In Britain there are few 1 man or family companies selling components.
Have a look at
www.modecomponents.co.uk
www.jabdog.co.uk
www.sycomcomp.co.uk

In western european countries there are a number of traders selling
surplus components incl RF parts ,who move from fleamarket to fleamarket
,from country to country. A number buy surplus army kit from eastern
europe and sell these as components...........................they have
done that for many years ,hence must have a reasonable income from these
activities .
I have seen a web site related to the sale (auction) of US Government
equipment (located in Virginia) with some mouthwatering electronic
(test)equipment . There should be a market for this equipment ,even as
components.

The marketing question remains : Is there a substantial ham homebrew
market in the USA . How many of the approx 700000 licenced Hams in the USA
purchase electronic components on a more or less regular basis ?

Surplus people in the USA like 'Surplus of Nebraska ' and 'Peter Dahl'
seem rather expensive.

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH.

Well while adding to my check-it-out in my spare time sites.....
www.jabdog.co.uk came up empty. Any of the letters in error?
I wouldn't have a guess as to a search for your site listed
Thanks K4TWO Gary
===========
Apologies . Web site is : www.jabdog.com I have checked site : It
is there !
e-mail address :
Advertises in SPRAT ,Journal of the G-QRP Club.
I have purchased components a few times ; very good with assorted coil packs
incl Toko
Also Micrometals & Fairite Iron Dust and Ferrite cores for RF
Variable caps and a good range of semi-conductors
Reasonable if not low prices.
Focus on homebrew community.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH

Highland Ham wrote:

Surplus people in the USA like 'Surplus of Nebraska ' and 'Peter Dahl' seem
rather expensive.


'Peter Dahl' makes custom transformers, so you can't expect "Cheap"
if you want it to last.

--
?

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

old saying,

you gets what you pay for !

http://www.allelectronics.com (surplus stuff, good quality items, low shipping)

wrote in message
oups.com...
Tom,

The district in question is the Ahikhabara (sp?). From what I have
heard and read it is the largest elex flea-market in the world.

There is also the possibility that we could import discretes and other
parts directly from small shops in India and China.

The only problem is that it seems that US Customs import duties for
electronics coming in from Japan are rather punitive to small-time
operators. Maybe I am wrong.

Maybe you and I should go into this one together

Yes... thanks to craigm as well, it is Akihabara. Here are some web pages:

Akihabara News:
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/

Akihabara homepage:
http://www.akiba.or.jp/index_e.html
http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/

Two issues:

A) I think in order to deal with the Akihabara we are going to need at
least 2 more things: 1) a Japanese ham willing to buy for us, and 2) a
US Customs broker or equivalent.

B) We still don't know our target market. Would it be consumer
equipment, ham equipment, rf subassemblies, or discretes? Remember,
the lower the integration, the less up-front investment in inventory
would be required.

C) If this was such a desireable thing to do, why hasn't it been done
before?

The Eternal Squire

From: "Tom" on Sat 27 Aug 2005 00:25

wrote in message
roups.com...
Tom,

The district in question is the Ahikhabara (sp?). From what I have
heard and read it is the largest elex flea-market in the world.

Yes... thanks to craigm as well, it is Akihabara. Here are some web pages:

Akihabara News:
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/

Akihabara homepage:
http://www.akiba.or.jp/index_e.html
http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/

AKIHABARA! :-) Fabulous place in Tokyo!

In the early 1950s (!) it was far from a "flea-market" but rather a
collection of hundreds of small shops selling ALL SORTS of radio
and electronic parts, kits, ready-built stuff. Fantastic then.

The best kit I ever put together was a monophonic "high-fidelity"
amplifier with preamp, the preamp box containing a TRF AM receiver
for superb AM reproduction...purchased at a small price by this
then-GI in 1954, assembled, used, sent home and used in the States
for several years.

Akihabara has been written up in lots of electronics magazines,
from Audio Engineering to (I think) all of the U.S. amateur radio
periodicals. From talking to others in-person who had visited it
in 1970s and 1980s, it is well-worth a look-see for anyone who
gets to Tokyo, Japan.

What about this:

Instead of offering a "stock" of parts or even a "stock" of predefined
kitted parts... offer a "part collection service." Someone who wants
to build a homebrew project could send you the schematic/article; you
would review the requirements and email them a quick quote on what it
would cost to provide the parts and the estimated time required. If
they approve, and order, you then collect the parts from your own
sources: some would be your "stock on hand", some would be orders you
place to other suppliers.

Advantage to buyer: one stop shopping; no need to spend hours going
over catalogs and going to different suppliers in order to get a pile
of parts together for a project. They dream of a project...they end up
with a bag-o-parts. It might take a little longer, and be a little
more expensive, to get the parts (because you might have to go find
some of them); but it will be a "turn key" operation for the buyer.

Advantage to you: You don't have to stock certain predefined "kits" or
go to the labor of building kits that might just sit on your shelf for
months. All you have to do is keep on hand a good range of basic parts
(that you pick up surplus, or on sale, when you can). In other words,
just keep a good "junk box" stock for yourself. If the customer needs
a part you don't have, then your cost to acquire it, and the delay, can
be figured into your quote.

Brad
WA5PSA

This is a capital idea. I can only see one little problem: what
if the parts list is spread between 3 or 4 vendors and I have to
pay $5 handling fee to each vendor? This can get pretty expensive
fairly quickly for the customer.

The Eternal Squire

wrote:

This is a capital idea. I can only see one little problem: what
if the parts list is spread between 3 or 4 vendors and I have to
pay $5 handling fee to each vendor? This can get pretty expensive
fairly quickly for the customer.

The Eternal Squire


I think that the idea was that you would be able to combine orders
from several people per order to each supplier to reduce the overall
shipping costs. Also, buying by the standard break saves money, per
unit. I have a lot of parts on hand where it was cheaper to order more
than I needed because the next break was less than ordering a smaller
amount. EX: $1.45 each. $12.50/10 or $100/100 and I needed 85 parts. 85
* $1.25 = $106.25 so I got 15 extra parts, and saved $6.25. I've done a
lot of repair jobs over the years with parts I got for "Free" that way.

--
Link to my "Computers for disabled Veterans" project website deleted
after threats were telephoned to my church.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida