Scanner retailers in southern California

Air490 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 12:13 AM

Greetings all,
I will be visiting Los Angeles at the end of November this year. I was thinking of doing some scanner related shopping while I was there (since there is not a lot of retail variety in Australia). Any suggestions as to where I should go?
Thanks

KJ6CFU · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2009, 12:26 AM

The greater Los Angeles area is quite vast. Unfortunately, we don't have that many physical stores in LA to buy scanners. Your best bets are Ham Radio Outlet (HRO Ham Radio Outlet Store Location Information HRO) and Radio Shack (RadioShack.com)

Ham Radio Outlet has locations in Burbank and Anaheim, and their scanner selections are limited. Radio Shack has stores all across Southern California, and in the stores they only carry the PRO series - A Radio Shack brand scanner made by GRE. Good luck and welcome to LA!

Air490 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 06:53 PM

Thanks for the info bighammer. Is it the same situation in San Diego?
I might just have to go to HRO and have a look.

KJ6CFU · #4 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 11:22 PM

Air490, I don't go to San Diego that often, but I know there's an HRO in San Diego. There are Radio Shacks there as well. Happy shopping!

Air490 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 02:59 AM

Thanks. Much appreciated!

rtones33 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 03:19 AM

You may want to check out Fry's Electronics Stores. These are massive stores with all sorts of electronic equipment. They do carry scanners - mostly Uniden - in their stores. They have branches in Burbank, City of Industry, Anaheim and a few more in So Cal. You can check out their website at Frys.com They are worth visiting if you just like browsing anything electronic.

marcotor · #7 (**permalink**) 09-09-2009, 11:46 PM

It must be a sign of age...

I could at one time walk into at least ten different stores that carried scanners and associated equipment. Of course back then, the old guys who worked at Radio Schack knew the difference between a farad and a cell phone.

(and this was just Orange County)
Lafayette
Communications Center - maybe my favorite place to shop ever
Henry Radio
Mar-Vac
Gemco
Rachet Jaw
Radio Shack, before they became a cell-phone seller, and were interested in helping customers who had needs other than a high-margin sale.
Best Products (NOT best buy)
Fedco
Orvac
Sav-Most Electronics (lots of surplus) - where I bought my BC-348 and R-390

Then again, I have SAS (Scanner Aquisition Syndrome) and a closet full of stuff!

vavolff · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 01:21 AM

Yes! I remeber a couple of those stores growing up in the OC ... is The Solder Joint in Tustin still open? They had a good selection but thats going back 15 years or so ...

Mick · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 01:25 AM

It is still open. I have not been inside for years though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vavolff

Yes! I remeber a couple of those stores growing up in the OC ... is The Solder Joint in Tustin still open? They had a good selection but thats going back 15 years or so ...

judas12 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vavolff

Yes! I remeber a couple of those stores growing up in the OC ... is The Solder Joint in Tustin still open? They had a good selection but thats going back 15 years or so ...

I went to Solder Joint a few months ago and bought a handheld antenna. It freakn sucked. I threw it away, off the 91fwy. They had some stuff in there though but no scanners. The employees were wierd too. They were looking at me like i was gonna rob the place and very blunt and evasive when i was asking questions about scanners and antennas. Now i just stick with Scanner Master. Sometimes i go to HRO in Anahiem. They're pretty cool there and have cool stuff

randybcd396t · #11 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcotor

It must be a sign of age...

I could at one time walk into at least ten different stores that carried scanners and associated equipment. Of course back then, the old guys who worked at Radio Schack knew the difference between a farad and a cell phone.

(and this was just Orange County)
Lafayette
Communications Center - maybe my favorite place to shop ever
Henry Radio
Mar-Vac
Gemco
Rachet Jaw
Radio Shack, before they became a cell-phone seller, and were interested in helping customers who had needs other than a high-margin sale.
Best Products (NOT best buy)
Fedco
Orvac
Sav-Most Electronics (lots of surplus) - where I bought my BC-348 and R-390

Then again, I have SAS (Scanner Aquisition Syndrome) and a closet full of stuff!

In part this is related to the internet. The brick and mortar shops have trouble competing with the prices offered by the internet shops. And when no one buys from them, they have to close.

2wayfreq · #12 (**permalink**) 09-10-2009, 11:01 AM

For San Diego Ham Radio Outlet

HRO San Diego:
5375 Kearney Villa RD
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 560-4900

marcotor · #13 (**permalink**) 09-11-2009, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judas12

I went to Solder Joint a few months ago and bought a handheld antenna. It freakn sucked.

I forgot about Solder Joint! I suppose because the last time was about 8 years ago and the stock sucked then. Same kinda looks from the people working inside. Like you, I went to HRO Anaheim and found what I needed. There was a place in Santa Ana, on Main Street in an old furniture store, bought a Palomar linear for 50 bucks.. Timberwolf's or something like that.