Every ham should have the chance to browse through a store like Nortex. It
was literally one of those hole-in-the-wall places; it was off the beaten
track just enough that you'd never find it by chance. I don't know if he
ever advertised the place, but if you tinkered with electronics in Fort
Worth long enough you were bound to hear of the place. I worked at the Fort
Worth Museum of Science and History during the 1980s and I have absolutely
no doubt in my mind that we bought some stuff from Nortex; a lot of the
equipment and parts for sale there simply could not be found anyplace else.

One ENTIRE WALL was filled with vacuum tubes. Most of them were still in
the little cardboard boxes. I don't think he had anything in there younger
than 10 years old bare minimum; much of it no doubt older than me. Lots and
lots of Tektronix oscilloscope modules and microwave stuff; carbon-comp
resistors; old VTRs from local TV stations; 16mm film projectors; plenty of
old books and magazines. Plenty of sockets, connectors, plugs, cables. And
let us not forget panel meters! Plenty of knobs, transformers, inductors.

And probably more junk video monitors of various types in one place, at
least above the surface of the ground.

Yes, indeed, it was great fun to prowl through. I'm gonna miss it. Last
time I was there was about eight months ago and the poor gentleman looked to
be in very sad shape even then. My thanks to him for supplying local hams
with a fun place to hunt for parts and whatnot.

73,

Matt J. McCullar, KJ5BA
Arlington, TX