Nate posted:Who remembers Lafayette electronics? They had a catalogue with radio kits and accesories. I think they were called Heath kits. You were able to buy a crystal radio for little money. They were endorsed by the shop teachers in school. Later on Radios Shack became a competitor. I am quite certain that Lafayette had a store in Manhattan. They faded out of existence. I wonder if one could find an old catalogue on eBay?
Yep I do!! Dad bought me a Lafayette regenerative shortwave tube (tubes - pre-transistors that glowed in the dark 
) receiver kit. I remember him saying we would work on it each night making 3 or 4 solder joints. That lasted about a week before he decided I could follow directions and solder wires (with a Weller solder gun no less, amazed I didn't destroy parts with heat) Sucker worked first time out the door! Don't know what happened to it after I left for college though 
