On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 1:35 PM, Gary Lee www.vwrack.com
<gary2a@telus.net>wrote:

> Interesting conversation.  Gets one thinking.
> I am told that in the  70s there used to be tube testers and vacuum
> tubes sold at the grocery store.

Didn't have to go to the drugstore, just walked down to the basement, tested
the tubes(s) and if bad reached over, opened the tube caddy and pulled out
the new one.  And I still had all that (and more) when we got around to
selling all my fathers old electronics and instruments about 1985.  Boy did
the old hams and the antique radio/TV collectors jump on that stuff.