I need to acquire a small electronic device that emits a sound when a current is passed across it. I live in New York City. This should not be difficult.
I go to Radio Shack:
“I need to acquire a small electronic device that emits a sound when a current is passed across it.”
“What’s it called?”
“I don’t have any particular ‘it’ in mind. I have a device that needs to be able to emit a sound under certain circumstances. The device is electrical and is already set up to pass a current through a gizmo such as I’ve described. The gizmo in question is missing.”
“Oh, well we could sell you a doorbell kit with a mounting bracket and a cover plate and a button to push…”
“No, no, what I want is more like the little noisemaker that is INSIDE of your doorbell kit. I need something about the size of a quarter and maybe 1/4 inch thick with two wires coming out of it that can be connected to the little terminal connectors.”
“Well, I never heard of anything like that, sorry.”
So I call a couple dozen electronics stores as listed in the yellow pages, with similar results. Then I get a brainstorm: why not call an auto parts place instead? I could probably use one of those “keys in the ignition” / “seat belt ain’t buckled” beepers.
So I call an auto parts store:
“I need to get a small electrical device that produces a sound when a current is passed across it.”
“What’s it called?”
:rolleyes:
“I could probably use anything that does that. Perhaps one of those buzzers for when your key is still in the ignition, that kind of thing.”
“Oh, we don’t stock anything like that.”
What the bloody hell? Doesn’t anyone construct or modify their own devices any more?
OK, I posted this in GQ instead of the Pit because I’d rather get a hot tip on where to acquire the above-described noisemaker than accumulate responses to my rant. Help?