mike@toshiba:~$ sudo apt-get install gaim
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package gaim
mike@toshiba:~$ sudo apt-get install synaptic
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package synaptic is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package synaptic has no installation candidate
mike@toshiba:~$ sudo apt-get install alien
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Couldn't find package alien

can it be because of my repositories? im not sure where to go to add them, nor what ones i need to add?

First what distro are you using?

If its Debian or Debian-based check your sources.list in /etc/apt/sources.list

Then check the source.list stick for ideas on repos to use.