What Was Your Dream Job ?

[n2ize]

What job did you dream about when you were a kid or in your young adult years ? I went through several phases when adults would ask me "what do you want to be when you grow up". Among my answers were..

A guy who sits around all day and does nothing.
An engineer that builds planes
A subway train driver
A cop
A commuter train driver.

[N2CHX]

Writer, radio announcer and I wanted to own a radio station.

[KC9ECI]

Porn star

[NY3V]

A Nuclear Physicist, then Chemist, then modern Alchemist turning GOP BS into Gold!

[WX7P]

CHP Officer
Member of a service band
Radio Announcer
Car designer

[N7YA]

I wanted to be a pilot. I have worked many 9 to 5'ers, and i will probably do it again, but for now, im enjoying my current job.

[W5GA]

I always wanted to be the guy on the county road crew that held the stop/slow sign.

[N7YA]

But you arent a leather faced woman.

[WX7P]

I always wanted to be the guy on the county road crew that held the stop/slow sign.

Whoa, that's HOT work, Doug, especially where you are...

[W5GA]

Whoa, that's HOT work, Doug, especially where you are...
Quite true, but I can wear a hat and I don't mind sweat. It's not like it's HARD work.

[kf0rt]

Writer, radio announcer and I wanted to own a radio station.


Same here. You got further with your dream than I did!

Used to think it'd be way fun to own a station "in the middle of nowhere" somewhere. Spin some tunes and get involved with the community.

Turns out, I don't much like the "public" but it took many years to come to that conclusion. To my knowledge, my voice has never been heard on the BC band. (Some here might say my voice has never been heard on the ham bands either, but that's NOT TRUE). :rofl:

[W3WN]

I grew up listening to what was arguably the greatest Top 40 DJ lineup in history, on the old MusicRadio 77 WABC. So of course, I wanted to be a DJ.

And like Kelli, actually became one for a couple of years.

But the dream never went far; I didn't have enough experience to break into the Pittsburgh market when I relocated here for other reasons, and I've since moved on to other things. With all the changes and consolidations and such in the industry, I don't believe I'll ever get another shot. So it goes.

[N2CHX]

Same here. You got further with your dream than I did!

Used to think it'd be way fun to own a station "in the middle of nowhere" somewhere. Spin some tunes and get involved with the community.

Turns out, I don't much like the "public" but it took many years to come to that conclusion. To my knowledge, my voice has never been heard on the BC band. (Some here might say my voice has never been heard on the ham bands either, but that's NOT TRUE). :rofl:


I grew up listening to what was arguably the greatest Top 40 DJ lineup in history, on the old MusicRadio 77 WABC. So of course, I wanted to be a DJ.

And like Kelli, actually became one for a couple of years.

But the dream never went far; I didn't have enough experience to break into the Pittsburgh market when I relocated here for other reasons, and I've since moved on to other things. With all the changes and consolidations and such in the industry, I don't believe I'll ever get another shot. So it goes.

It was fun while it lasted. I did news for a couple of years, did overnights and weekends for a couple more -- and you all know about the years of engineering. Radio used to be fun, now it's pretty much sh*t. I do have a lot of good memories though. Seems like just yesterday I was doing a live break with Scott Spezzano while zooming down the water flume ride at an amusement park with a battery powered Marti. Good times.

[N7YA]

Well....ham radio is still fun, at least. ;)

[XE1/N5AL]

Don't know why, but I wanted to raise earthworms.

[K7SGJ]

I wanted to be the quality control guy in a whorehouse.

[KC2KFC]

Photographer for Playboy magazine.

[kf0rt]

It was fun while it lasted. I did news for a couple of years, did overnights and weekends for a couple more -- and you all know about the years of engineering. Radio used to be fun, now it's pretty much sh*t. I do have a lot of good memories though. Seems like just yesterday I was doing a live break with Scott Spezzano while zooming down the water flume ride at an amusement park with a battery powered Marti. Good times.


I hear ya. Back in "the day" it was Danny Davis and Hal Moore (many others, now forgotten) in Denver. The "romance" of the job (for me) was rooted in the late 60's and early 70's when the AM band was still about music. Today, you'd be flipping switches for... nevermind.

Did get to climb some commercial towers, though -- fun, but it didn't really pay.

[kf0rt]

Photographer for Playboy magazine.

That one would be cool, too. Wonder if Stephen Wayda ever gets tired of it. I'm getting old enough now that I wonder what he gets paid. :rofl:

[NA4BH]

Pixie dust spreader on the Tilt-A-Whirl.

[suddenseer]

I always wanted to be the guy on the county road crew that held the stop/slow sign.Since children rarely rise above the level of expectation, I blame the state dept. of road signs for my diminished capacity. There was a SLOW CHILDREN AHEAD sign in front of my house. I became, and remained a slow child.

[ab1ga]

Missed you, OM. Good to hear from you.

73,

[NQ6U]

I wanted to bolt the tail wheels onto DC-3s at the Douglas Aircraft factory.

[suddenseer]

Missed you, OM. Good to hear from you.

73,Thank's good to be back.

[KG4CGC]

My parents beat and yelled any and all ambition out of me at an early age. So, when it came time to decided what I wanted to do after high school, may answer was, "How the hell should I know?"

[NY3V]

Missed you, OM. Good to hear from you.

73, Ditto here.

[K7SGJ]

I wanted to bolt the tail wheels onto DC-3s at the Douglas Aircraft factory.

Who ended up getting the job, Orville or Wilber?

[kb2vxa]

Finding factory work a tedious, boring dead end I put my hobby to work for me and went into electronics doing everything soup to nuts, mostly nuts. My favorite was the last, QC/QA tech with a bit of R&D as an engineer's assistant thrown in. Meanwhile I ran W. E. Service and Frankenstein Laboratories, a division of Altec Communications... long story.

Here's one for Kelli, I was a DJ, broadcast engineer and owned an AM radio station from June 1965 to August 1971, then the FCC cometh. I'll never forget the field engineer's comment; that's Class 4 power (250W) IF it were legal. (;->) The letter was signed by a guy named David Popkin (being in District 2 New York office it may sound familiar) and his comment was I should become a ham. I found out years later he was W2CC living in Englewood, NJ and the director of MARS as AAA2NJ at Fort Monmouth, home of the biggest Collins collection outside Studio City, California. (WB6ACU Joe Walsh) It took 24 years but I took his advice and the rest is as they say... history.

[N2NH]

As a kid I wanted to drive a bus or be a train operator.

When I went into broadcasting, I wanted to do announcing. Got that chance and I was good at it, but it wasn't half the fun I thought it was.

[N2NH]

Since children rarely rise above the level of expectation, I blame the state dept. of road signs for my diminished capacity. There was a SLOW CHILDREN AHEAD sign in front of my house. I became, and remained a slow child.

Welcome, welcome. Good to see you here again.

[W5GA]

Since children rarely rise above the level of expectation, I blame the state dept. of road signs for my diminished capacity. There was a SLOW CHILDREN AHEAD sign in front of my house. I became, and remained a slow child.
Here in OK, they have slow toll booth's

[X-Rated]

I wanted to be a pilot. I have worked many 9 to 5'ers, and i will probably do it again, but for now, im enjoying my current job.

Yeah. Rock star.

[WØTKX]

I wanted to be a pilot, did ground school and most of my hours in H.S., but never finished. Got into electronics and did QA work for Nortronics... then did sound and lights (self employed) for a bunch of years after I got laid off. The PC revolution hooked me, and I spent years doing that, eventually doing CAD/CAM work and then IT.

When the Dot CoM went boom, I was disgusted, and did what my heart told me... and taught skiing full time for over a decade. I really was meant to teach skiing, and in a lot of ways it WAS my dream job... it's in my blood, but it is a pretty poor (financial) career choice.

So, now I'm doing electronics work again. Never left the middle class for very long. Oh well. It's been pretty interesting.

[w2amr]

An automotive mechanic.

[w0aew]

I wanted to be a dinosaur. Finally made it.

[KB3LAZ]

Does hitting the lotto for an insanely large amount and then splitting my time between antique collecting, ham radio, and fishing count as a dream job?

[N7YA]

Yeah. Rock star.


Three nights a week. :)

The other four nights i dream of living in the woods, consigning my artwork (fantasy world there), doing a little lobstering and shrimp hauling. When i was a kid, i also wanted to be a marine biologist...something kind of special sounding about that gig.

[wa6mhz]

I wanted to be (and SHOULD have been) a Doctor! Instead, I became a RADIO Doctor, and work on RF Transmitters and Receivers all day long. Most Hams would say I have a Dream job. Especially since I have a key to the place which gives me 24/7 access to a magnificent RF Lab for Design and construction of Homebrew rigs!

But, as a Doctor, I would be bringing in SERIOUS MONEY, which would allow me to win EBAY bids (I LOSE 99% of them now and only win things no one else wants). I would have PLENTY of money for a Luxury house with a giant antenna and the fanciest Equipment money can buy. On my Radio station table would be a Yaesu FTdx9000!!! So, I BLEW IT by messing with Ham Radio too much and not going for a job that gets the BIG BUCKS!!! Now, I make about what a Box Boy at 7-11 or a kid mowing lawns does.

[KG4CGC]

Does hitting the lotto for an insanely large amount and then splitting my time between antique collecting, ham radio, and fishing count as a dream job?

That's a lifestyle choice.

[KG4CGC]

I wanted to be (and SHOULD have been) a Doctor! Instead, I became a RADIO Doctor, and work on RF Transmitters and Receivers all day long. Most Hams would say I have a Dream job. Especially since I have a key to the place which gives me 24/7 access to a magnificent RF Lab for Design and construction of Homebrew rigs!

But, as a Doctor, I would be bringing in SERIOUS MONEY, which would allow me to win EBAY bids (I LOSE 99% of them now and only win things no one else wants). I would have PLENTY of money for a Luxury house with a giant antenna and the fanciest Equipment money can buy. On my Radio station table would be a Yaesu FTdx9000!!! So, I BLEW IT by messing with Ham Radio too much and not going for a job that gets the BIG BUCKS!!! Now, I make about what a Box Boy at 7-11 or a kid mowing lawns does.
After I got a riding mower I tried the lawn care route for the neighborhood but ended up spending half my time just trying to get paid. People don't want to pay. Haven't been able to find any steady work but I think I scape up enough to send you a tray of ramen noodles if that will help.

[N2CHX]

After I got a riding mower I tried the lawn care route for the neighborhood but ended up spending half my time just trying to get paid. People don't want to pay. Haven't been able to find any steady work but I think I scape up enough to send you a tray of ramen noodles if that will help.

Don't feel bad. I've got a few voiceover and one streaming client like that -- and two real estate valuation companies that owe me about $1,000 for property valuations I did in early spring. Yet they continue to call me and ask me to do work for them. The last month and a half my answer has been "When you pay me I'll consider taking on more work. Until then, I'll continue telling other vendors how long it takes you to pay your bills." One valuation company has a horrid reputation and I doubt I'll ever see the money they owe me. But they still call....

[KG4CGC]

Isn't it interesting that they keep calling you back even though they're delinquent? The people who owed me money started talking smack about me to the neighborhood and help put the kibosh on my grassroots, old fashion American, go out and work hard, good protestant work ethic business.

[X-Rated]

Doctor: Not for me. Growing up on the farm, I knew what guts looked like and it was not appealing. Interest was low and I knew my liabilities would be high from not liking my job. No way.
Lawyer: Couldn't understand the language. Parents let me know that I didn't have what it took and squashed those dreams. I tried to leave all options open for my kids. A few years into college, in another field, I knew I could read contracts and legal papers, but felt it was too late to change direction. Being an attorney was low interest to me anyway.
Living in the woods: Been there growing up. It sucks. Just dream of living in the big city while critters eat your garden and insects eat your soul. Did I look happy? I don't think so...
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/40007_1391773153535_3139957_n.jpg
Yard Work: I was not aware that non-retired people hired that stuff to be done until later in life.
Dinosaur: Almost there. Look more like a wooly mammoth now.
Pilot: High interest there. But with parents with a 4 digit annual income, the school did not happen. Washed out of 3 months of USAF OTS because my New York flight commander didn't like my farmboy Kansas accent in a leadership position. He had me working on my speech and was not pleased with my progress. Yeah. 1 week to go and I was ejected on an OTER.
Enjunn ear: I couldn't even spell it, but now I arr won.

[N2CHX]

Isn't it interesting that they keep calling you back even though they're delinquent? The people who owed me money started talking smack about me to the neighborhood and help put the kibosh on my grassroots, old fashion American, go out and work hard, good protestant work ethic business.

They make promises to pay and trick a lot of vendors into doing more work for them that way. One company will even cut a small check for a fraction of what is owed every so often in an effort to convince you to do more work. But there are pages and pages and pages of claims against this one particular company. I don't even know how they're still in business and how they find anyone to do work for them anymore. They're probably desperate, which is why they still call me, hoping I'll say yes. I wish I had known this before I took on work from them. The claims go all the way back to 2009.

[KG4CGC]

They make promises to pay and trick a lot of vendors into doing more work for them that way. One company will even cut a small check for a fraction of what is owed every so often in an effort to convince you to do more work. But there are pages and pages and pages of claims against this one particular company. I don't even know how they're still in business and how they find anyone to do work for them anymore. They're probably desperate, which is why they still call me, hoping I'll say yes. I wish I had known this before I took on work from them. The claims go all the way back to 2009.

Just goes to show you, anywhere you are, whether the top, middle or bottom of the food chain, you'll find shit without even looking.

[K7SGJ]

They make promises to pay and trick a lot of vendors into doing more work for them that way. One company will even cut a small check for a fraction of what is owed every so often in an effort to convince you to do more work. But there are pages and pages and pages of claims against this one particular company. I don't even know how they're still in business and how they find anyone to do work for them anymore. They're probably desperate, which is why they still call me, hoping I'll say yes. I wish I had known this before I took on work from them. The claims go all the way back to 2009.

Tell them you'll be glad to as long as they pay up front. Don't forget to add in the nuisance tax.

[wa6mhz]

I had the ability to be an Engineer, but didn't like the "BUCK STOPS HERE" deal. As a Technician, I fix all the stuff, but when it doesn't work cuz it NEVER EVER did, then it is the Engineer's problem. Lotsa times, Engineers will design stuff and have it built; and THEN find out if it works after a production run is made. I have seen that, where a whole run of items has to be scrapped cuz of a serious and fatal design error. That really pisses off management. As a tech, I just report in how there was no way it could have ever worked and let THEM redesign it.

But I am an Engineer AFTER HOURS and have built many projects where it will be almost done and a "OH! I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT" flaw will be uncovered which TORPEDOS the whole project. One of my most Expensive and daring units is like that. It was SUPPOSED to switch 2 rigs between a KILOWATT and various antennas Automatically. You don't switch around 2000 watts easily without some RF leaking out and messing with things. So it went to the MUSEUM of FAILED PROJECTS.

[X-Rated]

I had the ability to be an Engineer, but didn't like the "BUCK STOPS HERE" deal. As a Technician, I fix all the stuff, but when it doesn't work cuz it NEVER EVER did, then it is the Engineer's problem. Lotsa times, Engineers will design stuff and have it built; and THEN find out if it works after a production run is made. I have seen that, where a whole run of items has to be scrapped cuz of a serious and fatal design error. That really pisses off management. As a tech, I just report in how there was no way it could have ever worked and let THEM redesign it.

But I am an Engineer AFTER HOURS and have built many projects where it will be almost done and a "OH! I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT" flaw will be uncovered which TORPEDOS the whole project. One of my most Expensive and daring units is like that. It was SUPPOSED to switch 2 rigs between a KILOWATT and various antennas Automatically. You don't switch around 2000 watts easily without some RF leaking out and messing with things. So it went to the MUSEUM of FAILED PROJECTS.

It is pathetic on the number of people who pass themselves off as engineers. When I graduated from college, one guy I graduated along side asked me to help him out with a project. He said he had a car stereo he wanted to play in his home and he wanted to know how to power it. I told him that there is a power supply at Radio Shack that delivers 13.8V at over 2.5 amps. Now the guy who just graduated with me asks me, "How will that work? I don't think my stereo draws over an amp and a half. Won't 2.5 amps burn it up?"

[KG4NEL]

Radio used to be fun, now it's pretty much sh*t.

Tell me about it. This last go-round of looking for work, I interviewed pretty much all over the spectrum - TV, FM, AM. It's either:

1) Public networks that aren't hiring
2) College stations, where the non-students are doing it for free or nearly
3) The Borg (CC and their ilk)
4) The indies that went out of business 3 months ago

Went to breakfast a few times with a guy who owned a little daytime AM'er here in central NC. Got all the bands that even the college stations didn't have on rotation. Upgraded the license for more power, pattern adjustment, etc, etc...sold it in 8 months to a regional sports network that's now parroting ESPNews.

Video killed the radio star. :nono:

[W3WN]

Finding factory work a tedious, boring dead end I put my hobby to work for me and went into electronics doing everything soup to nuts, mostly nuts. My favorite was the last, QC/QA tech with a bit of R&D as an engineer's assistant thrown in. Meanwhile I ran W. E. Service and Frankenstein Laboratories, a division of Altec Communications... long story.

Here's one for Kelli, I was a DJ, broadcast engineer and owned an AM radio station from June 1965 to August 1971, then the FCC cometh. I'll never forget the field engineer's comment; that's Class 4 power (250W) IF it were legal. (;->) The letter was signed by a guy named David Popkin (being in District 2 New York office it may sound familiar) and his comment was I should become a ham. I found out years later he was W2CC living in Englewood, NJ and the director of MARS as AAA2NJ at Fort Monmouth, home of the biggest Collins collection outside Studio City, California. (WB6ACU Joe Walsh) It took 24 years but I took his advice and the rest is as they say... history.Oh yes, David Popkin.

He is, or was, also an OO. He was noted for PopkinGrams. Those were OO notices that he sent out after a major contest, usually sent to people operating near the band edges. So, for example, if he heard you on 14346 kHz... just inside the band edge... you'd get a notice from him. Funny thing was that he always used old commerative postage stamps, often low denomination (anyone remember the LBJ era America the Beautiful stamps? He must have stockpiled a TON of those)

Oh, the other funny thing was that he used a cheap mimeograph or Xerox copier. He had the Popkingrams already prepared, even right down to the frequency. All he filled in was the time and your call.

I really loved the one I once got from him. It was during a CQ WW phone contest. Only I wasn't in the contest that year, I was on CW on 17 meters at the time. Go figure.

[KG4NEL]

It is pathetic on the number of people who pass themselves off as engineers. When I graduated from college, one guy I graduated along side asked me to help him out with a project. He said he had a car stereo he wanted to play in his home and he wanted to know how to power it. I told him that there is a power supply at Radio Shack that delivers 13.8V at over 2.5 amps. Now the guy who just graduated with me asks me, "How will that work? I don't think my stereo draws over an amp and a half. Won't 2.5 amps burn it up?"

Yeah, but if he needs to do any quintic derivations he's got that covered. :dance:

[W3WN]

Does hitting the lotto for an insanely large amount and then splitting my time between antique collecting, ham radio, and fishing count as a dream job?Only if you actually buy the tickets.

[W3WN]

They make promises to pay and trick a lot of vendors into doing more work for them that way. One company will even cut a small check for a fraction of what is owed every so often in an effort to convince you to do more work. But there are pages and pages and pages of claims against this one particular company. I don't even know how they're still in business and how they find anyone to do work for them anymore. They're probably desperate, which is why they still call me, hoping I'll say yes. I wish I had known this before I took on work from them. The claims go all the way back to 2009.I presume you've looked into Small Claims Court (or local equivalent)?

[WØTKX]

Boy, I hear ya about clients that won't pay. I've tried a half dozen times or so doing PC and technology work on my own, especially in ski town resort paradise. I learned the same thing that Charles did... People don't pay for services rendered. The worst clients seemed to be the very wealthy, and Real Estate companies. The sense of entitlement was overwhelming.

I started getting money up front, and making them sign contracts. All that happened was, I spent just as much time trying to negotiate payment, and added court costs to my expenses.

Landscaping work at fancy houses was easier and more lucrative than being a tech. Less argument for payment, as it was simpler to understand what was done, with obvious results.

Over 10k owed to me in those years that I will never see. :rant:

[X-Rated]

...
I really loved the one I once got from him. It was during a CQ WW phone contest. Only I wasn't in the contest that year, I was on CW on 17 meters at the time. Go figure.

You were way outside the contest phone band, dude.

[kf0rt]

It is pathetic on the number of people who pass themselves off as engineers. When I graduated from college, one guy I graduated along side asked me to help him out with a project. He said he had a car stereo he wanted to play in his home and he wanted to know how to power it. I told him that there is a power supply at Radio Shack that delivers 13.8V at over 2.5 amps. Now the guy who just graduated with me asks me, "How will that work? I don't think my stereo draws over an amp and a half. Won't 2.5 amps burn it up?"


He was a civil engineer, right? :rofl:

[N2CHX]

Just goes to show you, anywhere you are, whether the top, middle or bottom of the food chain, you'll find shit without even looking.

Unfortunately, very true.


Tell them you'll be glad to as long as they pay up front. Don't forget to add in the nuisance tax.

I can do that with my voiceover and streaming clients, because I call the shots. With the real estate valuations, not so much. I've got one client who is new and already behind almost two months. His show is tomorrow. I sent him another invoice last week and haven't seen payment yet. I didn't even charge him a setup fee, I ate that. I'm deciding if I don't see a check today whether or not I turn the stream on tomorrow for his show. My gut tells me that I'll never get paid the rest of what he owes. I've had clients for years and years that I bill quarterly and they always pay on time, so much so that with those clients I often won't even invoice them until we're a couple weeks or more into the next billing cycle if I'm busy. And they always pay. Then there's the fly-by-night shows that are on the air today and gone tomorrow.... I def need to make them pay up front. My mistake.

EDIT: Just checked the mailbox. No check. If I get a good night's sleep tonight he may have a show tomorrow. But I dunno, I mean.... I have no 420 money now, so I'll probably wake up feeling pretty bitchy :muhahaha:

[X-Rated]

He was civil about his inquiry, but he graduated with a degree in electronics. All he and others did was memorize for tests. No practical knowledge.

When I interviewed for a job out of college, they gave me this schematic and asked me what the DC voltage was at the emitter. I told them and gave them what they wanted. I asked others at school, and no one knew. They said there wasn't enough information and crap.

6998

[n2ize]

Oh yes, David Popkin.

He is, or was, also an OO. He was noted for PopkinGrams. Those were OO notices that he sent out after a major contest, usually sent to people operating near the band edges. So, for example, if he heard you on 14346 kHz... just inside the band edge... you'd get a notice from him. Funny thing was that he always used old commerative postage stamps, often low denomination (anyone remember the LBJ era America the Beautiful stamps? He must have stockpiled a TON of those)

Oh, the other funny thing was that he used a cheap mimeograph or Xerox copier. He had the Popkingrams already prepared, even right down to the frequency. All he filled in was the time and your call.

I really loved the one I once got from him. It was during a CQ WW phone contest. Only I wasn't in the contest that year, I was on CW on 17 meters at the time. Go figure.

Wow, David Popkin. I remember when he was in FCC enforcement in the general NYC and surrounding area. I haven't heard that name in ages. Back in the late 60's and very early 1970's David Popkin was a name that was feared, loathed, and struck terror in the local CB community, particularly young people in their teens who used CB "handles" and used CB as a hobby. I had several friends and acquiantances who were caught by David Popkin. Basically, when David Popkin came into town the 11 meter band was buzzing. After he made the rounds and left the 11 meter CB band was silent, with respect to local stations and all you could hear were Bronx stations. Mr Popkin never made the rounds in the Bronx. Anyone who lived in this general vicinity during that era would understand hy he would not want to go near the Bronx.

[XE1/N5AL]

But I am an Engineer AFTER HOURS and have built many projects where it will be almost done and a "OH! I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT" flaw will be uncovered which TORPEDOS the whole project. One of my most Expensive and daring units is like that. It was SUPPOSED to switch 2 rigs between a KILOWATT and various antennas Automatically. You don't switch around 2000 watts easily without some RF leaking out and messing with things. So it went to the MUSEUM of FAILED PROJECTS.Is the "Museum of Failed Projects" included on the Crest Radio Museum tour, or is it an up-charge to the basic admission price? :)

[KG4CGC]

Is the "Museum of Failed Projects" included on the Crest Radio Museum tour, or is it an up-charge to the basic admission price? :)

Is that like the house of horrors where the mad scientist hides his hideous creations?

[N2CHX]

He was civil about his inquiry, but he graduated with a degree in electronics. All he and others did was memorize for tests. No practical knowledge.

When I interviewed for a job out of college, they gave me this schematic and asked me what the DC voltage was at the emitter. I told them and gave them what they wanted. I asked others at school, and no one knew. They said there wasn't enough information and crap.

6998

Yep. I never went to college and yet I can troubleshoot and repair a transmitter faster than most degreed broadcast "engineers" I know. I never cared much to know every little thing about electronics and RF. I learned what I needed to know and if I didn't know something I needed to, I picked up a book. It always worked very well for me, but this is why I never hobnobbed with the rest of engineering "society" because all they ever do is talk shop in an attempt to seem more knowledgeable than the person next to them but gawd forbid if a station went off the air in the middle of their little hot-air sessions that they might actually be able to rise to the occasion and know how to actually deal with it. I never cared for the "engineer with the bigger dick" contests. I did my job and made a lot of GM's really happy. I moved around a lot and for the most part it was because I had a good reputation and I got job offers. I got some great raises that way too.

But at this point... I think I'm really done with all that. Radio is homogenized bullcrap now, stations don't pay anything anymore and you do what 5 engineers used to do, for less pay and when things fall through the cracks-- as they inevitably do, you get shit on. I've had enough of that.

[KG4NEL]

Is the "Museum of Failed Projects" included on the Crest Radio Museum tour, or is it an up-charge to the basic admission price? :)

Depends on how many burgers you bring from White Castle.

[K7SGJ]

Yep. I never went to college and yet I can troubleshoot and repair a transmitter faster than most degreed broadcast "engineers" I know. I never cared much to know every little thing about electronics and RF. I learned what I needed to know and if I didn't know something I needed to, I picked up a book. It always worked very well for me, but this is why I never hobnobbed with the rest of engineering "society" because all they ever do is talk shop in an attempt to seem more knowledgeable than the person next to them but gawd forbid if a station went off the air in the middle of their little hot-air sessions that they might actually be able to rise to the occasion and know how to actually deal with it. I never cared for the "engineer with the bigger dick" contests. I did my job and made a lot of GM's really happy. I moved around a lot and for the most part it was because I had a good reputation and I got job offers. I got some great raises that way too.

But at this point... I think I'm really done with all that. Radio is homogenized bullcrap now, stations don't pay anything anymore and you do what 5 engineers used to do, for less pay and when things fall through the cracks-- as they inevitably do, you get shit on. I've had enough of that.


That's how I was in broadcasting, as well. Never hung out with anyone out side the engineering (in name only) staff. None of us had degrees in anything, other than our masters in drinking. We all pretty much felt that if one didn't know something one of the others probably would. But the most important thing wasn't so much having all the answers, but knowing where to find them. To me, that's what makes a good broadcast engineer. Well, that, and knowing where to steal the shit you need to finish a project.

[n2ize]

One of my other "dream jobs" was to be a spy or a CIA operative.

[N7YA]

You were way outside the contest phone band, dude.


:lol:


I would say so!

[N8GAV]

I always wanted to be a ships captian. Sailing around on a ship from sea to sea and a woman in every port.

[kf0rt]

That's how I was in broadcasting, as well. Never hung out with anyone out side the engineering (in name only) staff. None of us had degrees in anything, other than our masters in drinking. We all pretty much felt that if one didn't know something one of the others probably would. But the most important thing wasn't so much having all the answers, but knowing where to find them. To me, that's what makes a good broadcast engineer. Well, that, and knowing where to steal the shit you need to finish a project.

I've seen the same thing in the software biz. Known more than a few "classically trained" folks with degrees who couldn't figure out which end of the cord plugs into the wall; forget their coding techniques. Once interviewed a kid fresh out of college with a CS degree and asked him to draw a block diagram of an embedded computer on the white board. You know... CPU, RAM, ROM.... He couldn't do it. To be fair, though, I've known a number of degreed guys (gals, too) who were smart as a whip, so I don't discount the training. Thirty+ years into this, I'd have to say that it's the passion that counts. Those who have a passion for the work will make it happen, credentials or not. For those without the passion, education won't help. I'll take someone who loves the work every time, irrespective of background. And even then I've seen it fail.

Haven't thought of this in ages, but I recall a long thread (on the Zed, I think; years ago) about whether or not software could even be considered engineering at any level. Theory being that software is merely the "embodiment" of real engineering. Software is to engineering like the canvas is to art. I want to say it was Steve (WB6WIK) that argued that point, but don't quote me. The point has some merit, but I never agreed. And software guys steal shit all the time to finish projects. ;)

[WØTKX]

Wow. That reminds me of this wonderful dissertation:

http://the-programmers-stone.com/the-original-talks/day-1-thinking-about-thinking/

Are you a mapper or a packer, Rob? :lol: :stickpoke:

[kf0rt]

Wow. That reminds me of this wonderful dissertation:

http://the-programmers-stone.com/the-original-talks/day-1-thinking-about-thinking/

Are you a mapper or a packer, Rob? :lol: :stickpoke:

Damn, Dave. GREAT article (already have a few I need to pass this along to -- my ex-boss is first on the list). Probably the best piece I've read on problem solving psychology in some time. And yes, it's applicable to far more than software. Muchas grassy-ass for passing that along.

Oh; aren't most of us mappers in a packer world? It's so pervasive that I've almost given up. Need to rethink...

[kb2vxa]

Broadcast engineers are all a little crazy, an acquired coping skill. During my days of spotting a tower and paying a visit (plant was always manned back then) I learned this pretty quick. Working with design engineers is another story, in sharp contrast to one I worked with who taught me A LOT, one came along who didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. His notion was to copy a product with just enough modification to skirt patent laws so I'd analyze a competitor's transformer and give him the parameters, shortly he'd show up with his prototype that was so far off base it couldn't even see the ballpark. Oh sure the turns ratio gave the theoretical (perfect) output but there's so much more to a transformer, (like core material) he was lost. He wasted so much material with a success rate of zero he cost more than he was worth and didn't last long. Living proof that what works on paper doesn't in practice so give it a good whack; or my favorite, if it doesn't work dynamite will fix it.

"He is, or was, also an OO. He was noted for PopkinGrams."
Yeah, I heard about that because of my see antenna pay visit habit I knew every ham in the area. The Johnny come lately guys were elated because Sir Riley of Hollingsworth tread softly and carried a big stick but they didn't know Dave. Thanks to him 201 Varick St. NY was the ham and CB 1 Police Plaza.
"I remember when he was in FCC enforcement in the general NYC and surrounding area."
He was the head honcho of District 2, the guy who sent the "pink slips" while Roger Nye The FCC Guy (a name we gave him before Larry The Cable Guy) and his seen but silent partner prowled the streets. Keeping it short, he was not only incompetent like trying to screw an N connector into an SO-239 and wondering why it wouldn't fit, he was so obnoxious in his personal vendetta against CBers he had the Tri-State area in an uproar. Dave got so many letters of complaint somebody in the higher ups listened and Roger Dodger got a "promotion"... to a desk in Baltimore. (;->) Meanwhile I found him listed in the Elizabeth, NJ phone book and spread the word. MUUUAHAHAHAHAAAAaaaaa. Those were the daze.

[WØTKX]

Damn, Dave. GREAT article (already have a few I need to pass this along to -- my ex-boss is first on the list). Probably the best piece I've read on problem solving psychology in some time. And yes, it's applicable to far more than software. Muchas grassy-ass for passing that along.

Oh; aren't most of us mappers in a packer world? It's so pervasive that I've almost given up. Need to rethink...

I ran into the original "thinking about thinking" article on the web in '97 or so? I immediately recognized myself as a mapper, and why I didn't grok the way so many people think. Mapping is pleasurable as hell for me, packing hurts my brain. I'm pretty crappy at rote memorization, but pattern recognition... yea. Me Grok!

This is probably why I like jam bands and jazz more than other kinds of music. Always anticipating the AHA!

[n2ize]

"He is, or was, also an OO. He was noted for PopkinGrams."
Yeah, I heard about that because of my see antenna pay visit habit I knew every ham in the area. The Johnny come lately guys were elated because Sir Riley of Hollingsworth tread softly and carried a big stick but they didn't know Dave. Thanks to him 201 Varick St. NY was the ham and CB 1 Police Plaza.
"I remember when he was in FCC enforcement in the general NYC and surrounding area."
He was the head honcho of District 2, the guy who sent the "pink slips" while Roger Nye The FCC Guy (a name we gave him before Larry The Cable Guy) and his seen but silent partner prowled the streets. Keeping it short, he was not only incompetent like trying to screw an N connector into an SO-239 and wondering why it wouldn't fit, he was so obnoxious in his personal vendetta against CBers he had the Tri-State area in an uproar. Dave got so many letters of complaint somebody in the higher ups listened and Roger Dodger got a "promotion"... to a desk in Baltimore. (;->) Meanwhile I found him listed in the Elizabeth, NJ phone book and spread the word. MUUUAHAHAHAHAAAAaaaaa. Those were the daze.
A long time friend of mine who is also a ham and an swl and who was an active CB'er got paid a direct visit from Popkin way back in the early 70's. Popkin was sure that he was using an linear but he wasn't. He had an Avanti Moonraker yagi beam topside and he was in a very high location relative to the rest of the area and he used to just get out very well. He had excellent groundwave coverage. To do what he did I would have needed a rather powerful linear. But Popkin refused to belive he didn;t have one and when he inspected the station and found nothing he was wondering where it was hidden. But there was no linear... And his station was properly licensed. Popkin made a futz about not using proper callsigns but the rig was within the legal limits and he had no grounds to fine him. But Popkin also paid personal visits to just about every other CB'er in this general area and several stations did have linears and were fined. Popkin even caught a guy in a mobile and he got a fine. Popkin never visited me for good reason. I wasn't on the airwaves then. And he would never go into the Bronx. Can't say i blame him. As you said... Those were the daze..

[kf0rt]

A long time friend of mine who is also a ham and an swl and who was an active CB'er got paid a direct visit from Popkin way back in the early 70's. Popkin was sure that he was using an linear but he wasn't. He had an Avanti Moonraker yagi beam topside and he was in a very high location relative to the rest of the area and he used to just get out very well. He had excellent groundwave coverage. To do what he did I would have needed a rather powerful linear. But Popkin refused to belive he didn;t have one and when he inspected the station and found nothing he was wondering where it was hidden. But there was no linear... And his station was properly licensed. Popkin made a futz about not using proper callsigns but the rig was within the legal limits and he had no grounds to fine him. But Popkin also paid personal visits to just about every other CB'er in this general area and several stations did have linears and were fined. Popkin even caught a guy in a mobile and he got a fine. Popkin never visited me for good reason. I wasn't on the airwaves then. And he would never go into the Bronx. Can't say i blame him. As you said... Those were the daze..

OO dudes make house calls?

[WØTKX]

Sure, before there were so many gun nuts. :stirpot:

[N7YA]

Our OO in Alaska was cool. Forgot his name, but i would hear him on 40 fone at nights. He would only send notices after he went to the offending frequency and said "Come on, buddy, you dont need to act like this...relax and try to enjoy the hobby, huh?". He had a calming affect on most rabblerousers.


Yes, i said 'rabblerousers'.

[KG4CGC]

Derelicts!

[kf0rt]

I actually got an OO notice once. If it wasn't my first transmission as a ham, it was close. Built up a little crystal controlled CW transmitter from a magazine article that used a 50C5 tube. I doubt the thing had a dozen components. CQ... CQ... Made my first contact on that thing -- worked another novice that you could hit with WiFi today (WNØYSJ, if I recall - still have the QSL card). The OO notice taught me a little bit about harmonics. Wish I could recall where the OO was; would have been DX no matter what.

[N7YA]

My first embarrassment on the air wasn't from an OO. I was 17, calling CQ on 80 with my old Galaxy V. It was in rough shape. I was calling and calling and no one was answering me. Then a guy came back to me and i was excited for my first CW contact on 80. He only called me to let me know my harmonic was loudly interfering with his qso he was trying to have on 40! Ive heard loud splatter, harmonics, bad AC noise...but never have i heard of loud QRM from another band entirely! The fact that i was the lucky devil with the great rig doing it made me want to crawl under a rock.

Even as a noob, i knew i needed to get off 80 and not go back until i figured out the issue. That's bad!

[kb2vxa]

Yup, doctors used to make house calls and so did Dr. Popkin but these days they either send paramedics or field engineers as appropriate. David had this personal crusade but Colorado Boulevard wasn't enough, he was the terror of the whole metro NYC area. Oh, I should mention I met him at Ft.Monmouth for a MARS meeting, believe it or not he's really a nice guy but tough as nails in his unofficial capacity sort of Dr. Jekyll when Mr. Hyde isn't on the loose.

Oh the "get up" (Avanti) company didn't call it a Moonraker for nothing, that metal bird cage was as big as the sails on it's namesake. Since it had switchable horizontal and vertical polarization had I known at the time I could have shown them the advantage of switching polarization back and forth to compensate for polarization shifts when "shootin' skip". Take it one step farther by eliminating one coax run and coupling H to V with a quarter wave delay line, go circular and fade is a thing of the past. So what if you lose 3dB when that thing had 17dBi gain to begin with!

Then there was Marty, (QTH and callsign classified) I met him a long time ago back in my CB daze and he was the local powerhouse thanks to E.F. Johnson and the ever popular Viking Valiant, then he got his ham license, uh oh. Using a KW into a ground mounted vertical and TVIing the neighborhood was funny enough but he really outdid himself when he became an OO. He was card happy sending them out for the dumbest things, some recipients wiped their butts with them and mailed them back, LO firkin L! Needless to say that hit home and the card flurry stopped. Gotta say ONE good thing about him, he's an OK guy but just a little strange.

I came upon this just a little too late for either of them but you'll like it I'm sure.

[WØTKX]

^^^ :lol:

I've posted that gem here before. Funny ain't it?

[kf0rt]

My first embarrassment on the air wasn't from an OO. I was 17, calling CQ on 80 with my old Galaxy V. It was in rough shape. I was calling and calling and no one was answering me. Then a guy came back to me and i was excited for my first CW contact on 80. He only called me to let me know my harmonic was loudly interfering with his qso he was trying to have on 40! Ive heard loud splatter, harmonics, bad AC noise...but never have i heard of loud QRM from another band entirely! The fact that i was the lucky devil with the great rig doing it made me want to crawl under a rock.

Even as a noob, i knew i needed to get off 80 and not go back until i figured out the issue. That's bad!


No kiddin'??? I pretty much worked my first DXCC on a Galaxy V. Never had a harmonic problem with it, but it did require some regular maintenance (mainly in the band switches). That thing rocked! It was my first SSB rig.

My second harmonic lesson involved a Genave 2-meter rig that I got in High School or shortly thereafter. It was the cheapest (in every way imaginable) way to get on 2. Crystal controlled, and if I recall, it cost $129 new (crystals extra) -- all I could afford. Had a HS buddy who spent a lot of time in scanner land and one night he called me up wanting to know what I was doing on the Aurora Police Department's repeater. Say what? Lessee... Take 145.52, divide by 12, multiply by 13 and you get the input of their repeater. Scared the holy crap out of me (was all of about 18 at the time - 1974ish). I actually called the APD over that. Fessed up. Their dispatcher "was aware of the problem" but was totally cool about the whole deal. Never heard back from them, and never used that radio again.

[WØTKX]

Erm, WØOD may have been Aurora's radio guy back then, he worked for them for years.

Paul would have helped you figure it out, and thought it pretty funny... as long as you fessed up.

[N7YA]

An engineering ham friend cleaned it up after thaqt, i loved my Galaxy V...400w of power!

[n2ize]

I got two OO notices. The first one came when I was a tech and just starting on CW. The OO complained that I had a slight "hum" on my signal. I figured, "slight hum", not bad for a radio built in 1952 that's been fired up for the first time in 35 years. The next one game when i was a General. The OO informed me that I had a carrier on my signal. Really ? No shit Sherlock !! I was running AM. I think I am supposed to have a carrier on AM. I thanked him for reminding me.

[kf0rt]

Erm, WØOD may have been Aurora's radio guy back then, he worked for them for years.

Paul would have helped you figure it out, and thought it pretty funny... as long as you fessed up.

What was his callsign back then? I was pretty active in Aurora at the time... Not ringing any bells here. I want to say that even pre-dates 1x2 callsigns, but not 100% sure.

[WØTKX]

Actually, he was probably still in MN then. WG0C was his previous call,before that,WBØRFV.
He was very involved with early repeaters and such. He's nice, smart, and a bit odd.
And no, he wouldn't mind me saying that. Not at all. Check out his bio on QRZ

I should really talk to him soon. 146.430 simplex almost every morning.
He also used to be really into AM. Knows FM stuff really well.

[n6hcm]

as a kid i wanted to be a veterinarian. glad i didn't do that; not sure i could handle the bad outcomes that couldn't be improved.

on to high school and computing was my goal. that ultimately worked out for a long time (i wanted travel and got that, too). now computing isn't so exciting (actually, computing is still interesting but the stress that comes with it sucks), so i'm going to library school (http://coursecatalog.syr.edu/2012/programs/library_and_information_science) to glue the computing parts which are interesting with other stuff i find interesting ...

[NY3V]

An engineering ham friend cleaned it up after thaqt, i loved my Galaxy V...400w of power!

How many pills did it have? ;)

[N7YA]

I dont know...but there arent enough pills to fix the condition in your avatar! :shock:

[K7SGJ]

I have a sickle that says no problem, but I hate to see anyone go off half cocked.

[NY3V]

I dont know...but there arent enough pills to fix the condition in your avatar! :shock:

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/50208/4f2808eb4981e_50208n.jpg

[N7YA]

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/50208/4f2808eb4981e_50208n.jpg


Well, how about that!

[X-Rated]

http://f.internetara.com/onbellek/12/07/18/iuuq_NV_00xxx_SL_uifpxmoftu_SL_dpn0QOQ_NK_OQO_SL_k qh.jpg

No Pussay Necessary and Pussay Needed Pronto.

[N7YA]

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