Life Lessons from an Engineer #3
By: Dipendra J. Mistry
Tags: STEM, Engineering, Problem Solving, Life Lessons

A lone shed in a field by Lancaster Canal (Image Credit: Canal Walking UK)

The sky erupted as dark clouds coalesced and the heavens opened. In a matter of seconds wind and rain battered the wooden shed I was standing in. It was cold, dark and gloomy, and I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Things will get better I told myself — it will all be fine…

I started to set-up the test equipment inside the shed so that we could begin our satellite test using our electronically steered antenna. But things were not going as planned… I had lost comms with the antenna positioner, and had just lost our 10MHz reference signal… On top of that we couldn’t talk to the antenna over ethernet… All of these issues required me to venture outside into the ominous storm in an open field. Just my luck! :)

I looked around at my colleagues, and we all laughed and said “Another day at Baddow!!!”. This had become our motto, when faced with the often sisyphean task of debugging multiple complex issues out in a field in Essex, while also testing a prototype antenna — I mean what could go wrong???

We all enjoyed the change of pace from working in the office and being in the great outdoors. But the days were always a test of wit, patience and often physical stamina (required when loading and unloading the heavy test systems). That aside, I wanted to share the lessons I learnt from testing antennas outside in what we call a Far-Field Test Range.

The Lessons

Get the Basics Right

When starting a new task we are all keen to get results and get things done. But often in a work environment, although speed may be rewarded with a promotion or a pat on the back, it is vital to get the basics right. I realised this a little later when working in the field, and I started fixing issues or problems as they arose rather than delaying them.

Although this may mean that you go slow in the interim, it pays dividends in the long run to be rigorous and develop systems which are robust. I can’t tell you how many times I have faced this issue in my own career, and the one thing I have realised is to address these issues sooner.

2. Don’t ignore little issues

Perhaps I am just a perfectionist or I have OCD, but if I notice something when I work I normally jot it down. It could be something about my data, equipment or just a random idea. But I often revisit these later in the week or month and they often lead to eureka moments.

Once such example in the shed was noticing mice droppings around the place. One winter in particular we began to notice more frequent occurrences in the shed and also around computer keyboards etc. We tried to duck-tape all the escape holes but our efforts were futile. In the end I decided to empty the whole shed, clean it from top to bottom and install an audible plug-in deterrent. This eventually did the trick, and in doing so we remained mice-free for the rest of the year.

3. Keep a Log

I cannot stress this point enough, but even if you don’t work in a lab it is good to keep a log of the work you do. It pays to track issues, ideas, project details or even feedback for your team for future appraisals etc. In my case I have used logs for each lab or test area I work in to capture any issues or improvement ideas. Also, if you consider applying for professional registration or some other form of recognition these logs will serve you well in demonstrating your competence.

T ake-Aways

In summary, keep a log, fix the little issues before they become big issues and get the basics right. These can be applied in a technical or personal matter.

As always thanks for reading!

Take care,

Dipendra