Date   : Tue, 06 Dec 2005 18:06:32 +0000
From   : jgh@... (Jonathan Graham Harston)
Subject: Vanishing electronics suppliers

Has anybody else noticed how difficult it is getting to obtain
electronics supplies?  I've just been to Bardwell's in Sheffield
for some bits. I bought the last 8m of 34-way ribbon cable, and
they had no 34-way IDC headers. "We're not going to get any more
in" they said. "There's no business in electronics" they said.
 
I could understand if they were geing undercut by the likes of
Maplin, but Maplin - if they actually stock the parts - are more
expensive.
 
34-way IDE header at Maplin: `1.92. Last time Bardwell's had them
they were about `1.20.
 
Maplin don't do PCB-mounted IDC plugs, Molex pins, various
74-series ICs. In fact, most of the bits I need for the IDE
interface.
 
My only alternative now is online ordering from places like
Farnell, which require a credit card, which I don't have and won't
get.
 
And I've just used the last of my BBC power plugs. I haven't seen
them for sale anywhere for yonks. On my equipment I have replaced
the power connector with a 9-pin D connector with Torch pinouts,
but I can't supply hardware to other people and specify that they
modify their PSUs before using it.
 
What on *earth* possessed Acorn to use that connector on the PSU?
 
-- 
J.G.Harston - jgh@...                - mdfs.net/User/JGH
BBC BASIC for the Sinclair Spectrum - http://mdfs.net/Software/Spectrum