Radio today (Sept 1935-Dec 1936)

for more than fifteen years . . . CLAROSTAT THIS NAME has stood for dependable components, honestly sold. CLAROSTAT products were marketed when radio first began. The organization is still owned and actively managed by its founders. Set manufacturers, wholesalers, dealers, and service men who demand ruggedness and quality products have for years specified CLAROSTAT for initial equipment and replacement parts. The Clarostat engineering staff is constantly designing and testing all forms of radio controls and components, and in doing so is always abreast of developments in the radio and allied industries. Some of the precision products which Clarostat pioneered follows: Wire Wound Potentiometers Wire Wound Rheostats Composition Element Potentiometers Constant Impedance Controls Mixer Controls Faders Tone Controls Volume Controls Automatic Voltage Regulators Ballast Resistors Line Reducing Resistors Compression Rheostats Fixed Resistors Fixed Center Tapped Resistors Variable Center Tapped Resistors Flexible Resistors Metal Covered Heavy Duty Resistors Metal Covered Voltage Dividers L Pads and T Pads CLAROSTAT MANUFACTURING CO., Inc. 285 N.6th St. Brooklyn fc N. y. THE DAY OF BETTER SERVICE Shoestring investment and haywire methods on the way out By JOHN F. RIDER Service Editor, Radio Today * ONE of the reasons why chaos reigns in the servicing field is because it is possible for Tom, Dick or Harry to establish himself as a service man with a very small investment. It may not sound very pleasant to many servicemen, but the shoe string investment is on the way out. The average investment made by servicemen in testing equipment during years past has been less than $150. The day is not far distant when, in order to be able to cope with servicing problems of the times, this investment is going to mount to at least $500, and there will be many shops with an investment approximating $1,000. It is, of course, impossible to force a definite investment when an individual enters the service field — but the nature of the receivers, which will be coming in for service, will force the service station operator to acquire apparatus which will enable rapid operation. No finer investment can be made than in equipment which expedites testing. Time is extremely valuable in the service station and every ten minutes saved helps keep the operating cost down. Therein lie the profits. Courage Time and again service station operators have bewailed the high cost of apparatus. An analysis of the situation will show that servicing on the whole would be far more lucrative if the initial investment required to open a service shop would be $2,000 instead of $200. Fewer men would be in the business and the greater responsibility would tend to stabilize the industry. We have traveled the country far and wide during the past 12 months. We attended very many service meetings. At each of these meetings one or more service station operators would be honest and confess that they have become very much disheartened at the low earnings available in the service field. The bad part of the situation is that most of these men were competent and had plenty of work, but found that earnings were small. We have but one answer. What is needed is the courage to charge a profitable price for work done. That is the crux of the entire problem. . . . Charge enough so that a profit is left. ... It means the loss of some business — but that which is secured is profitable and while it may not appear so upon the surface of things, those jobs which are profitable seem to amount to more in dollars and cents than all of the business done at lower prices. Must pay The service industry of the nation must develop the courage required to cease paying for the radio entertainment of the American public. If Mr. John Public desires to have his radio repaired, he must pay the price. Altogether too many service men have served the American public at a sacrifice to themselves. . . . Many years of operation at non-profitable prices has wiped away all semblance of financial respectability. The service industry as a group can well learn from their suppliers. When the service man buys a testing unit or some other piece of shop equipment he is forced to pay a certain established price. . . . No pay — no equipment. . . . Suppliers have the courage to charge the price which they feel they should receive for their merchandise, if they are to stay in business. . . . Servicemen should do the same. . . . Otherwise the finish is inevitable. . . . No business can continue without earning a profit. (Please turn to page 42) Hey — Doctor ! #ello! Doctor Jimmie Morgaa Phone . <-^r:. 6068Z WEST END RADIO CO. Birmingham, Ala., presents this. At right note "sick radio" with bandaged head and doleful face. 40 Radio Today