Outside electronics, what other qualifications/experience do you have? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 12:02:50 pm
content: Most of us either have qualifications and/or experience in electronics in one form or another. I am interested in what career you did before moving into electronics or indeed what you are doing after moving out of electronics.I don't put it on my resume, but besides working in electronics for over 30 years as a qualified engineer, I am also a trained children's shoes fitter.During high school I worked part time for a few years at Myer Melbourne (the then Aussie equivalent of Macy's) in the Children Shoes Department and was trained to fit and sell shoes to children. The job gave me valuable experience in dealing with people (and fitting shoes). A few years later when I finished uni, I went back there to get a reference from the manageress who gave me a glowing reference which helped me get my first engineering job at IBM. People at Myer were really nice. The name of manageress of Children's Shoes Department was Mrs Shine, and there was also a Mrs Springett and a Mrs Niblett. The department next door was called Women's Lingerie and there was one guy working in there and his name was Mr Strange (and he was a little strange too). No kidding, the names are true.So where did you come from in a previous job? Or are you one of those which gave electronics away as a career and now just do it as a hobby? Please share your story.

author: indeterminatus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 01:57:46 pm
content: I'm a software engineer (studied CS, but that was already long ago, merely counts any more). I've been tinkering around with stuff since early childhood, but mostly software -- getting a computer to display the pixels in the coloring and brightnesses that *I* told it was good enough for me. I've always been most interested in designing and implementing games. As of recently, my interest in electronics has been kindled; more like the physics of the chips, and bridging the gap between "mere algorithms" and the physical world.Right now, I'm spending most of my little leisure time (two young kids at home) learning everything I can about electronics. For my pay-checks, I'm still a full-time software engineer, and still love it; I don't see it as a job, I'm really born for it.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 06:57:39 pm
content: I am a jazz musician, and a weight lifting trainer. I can do auto repair too but these days the equipment and knowhow needed is more than I can handle alone.

author: Zeyneb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 07:03:59 pm
content: I'm doing DIY car repairs/maintainance on my two 90s cars. I'm also a member of a DIY car repair shop.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 12, 2020, 07:16:58 pm
content: My professional career is EE/Software and Automation, which I enjoy. Outside of work I own a machine shop, build cars and off road machines, MIG/TIG weld and do general fabrication.One of my Fav early jobs was working at Menards (Hardware store/lumber yard) during College. I might even return to that same store part time when I'm too old to do anything else.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2020, 01:41:11 am
content: Why, are you recruiting?I'm a full time student at The University of Life. Don't ask me about experience, I wouldn't know where to start... or end. I don't like to come across as boastful, and I'm unconvinced that "qualifications" amount to much more than what you managed to hold in (possibly short-term) memory for the few days before, during and after said test. I hold City & Guild in electronics servicing and repair (UK) but I don't remember the last time anyone cared to hear that, nor needed it to hire me. I find knowing what you're on about, comes across and is more instinctively picked up upon that "look what these certs say I can do." What I mean, is that qualifications are only as important as the value placed upon them by the people you think will seek to employ you, or a way you are able to demonstrate a "agreed level of competence and expertise" in said area(s).There's no shortage of "educated idiots" out there, falling over themselves to boast about their degrees,etc; that's fine, let them, we can all sense when the horse sh## flows freely!We all have different experience and giftings, and I am not sure there is a "one size fits all" way of converting that to a standard, universal metric. I love seeing other people showing their CLEARLY GOD-given talents, things that come instinctively to them as part of their DNA, things I would never know where to start on! We all have weak points and HUGE strengths - I am good with "muscle memory" as regards computers and problem-solving them - many of my friends have referred to me (in huge error!) as "a genius, I could never do that!" (because they'd probably never attempt to try!) but whilst I appreciate their kindness and compliments, I know it not to be true - I am X person with X talents, and a lot of the time (with computers) my "genius" they think I have, amounts to my having Google'd/YouTube'd for a few hours, thoroughly. There are endless parts of Linux command line which I know off pat, and many others I have to refresh my mind on, regularly.I find I get a warm, fuzzy and natural, instinctive feeling from electronics and physics - mainly because these things are based upon physical laws, and are therefore exceptionally clear to my mind, and beautiful. Whilst software is incredible, and exciting to learn, I don't get the same "feeling" deep in my soul for having learnt it. Software is based around arbitrary decisons made by man, whereas electronics is physics, and a wave is a wave is a wave, and it don't change none too muchly!I've talked enough - I am good at what I do, and I take on most technical challenges, but one thing I always remember and like to say, is this:Which of us have what we weren't given?

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2020, 02:28:15 pm
content: Quote from: eti on September 13, 2020, 01:41:11 amNope, not recruiting. I have recruited and I look at the triple A's: Attitude, Aptitude and Ability. I someone is positive in all of those, then I am interested. I test people for their electronics knowledge, irrespective of qualifications.One of the smartest engineer I ever worked with at IBM did not have a degree. He earned respect through his ability, knowledge and experience. However there was a boastful engineer in the company who put him down because they had a degree and he didn't. As an observer, I dare say the boastful person did that because of his own "issues" despite having a degree. One senior manager at IBM was a real braggart would not associate with anyone socially or in business unless they had an MBA or were studying for it, or if he needed them for something that would make him look good. I was not interested in an MBA, so I was on the outer. In technical terms he was an idiot despite having a double degree (one in electronic engineering) plus and MBA. He did not know what the voltage rating on an electrolytic capacitor was for. This guy was evidence of being a destructive writer as you imply... all knowledge is gone before the ink has dried on the exam paper. He was hopeless at electronics, systems engineering and computer science - but he was a smart politician - he talked the talk and "played golf" with he right people, as such got promoted to a very high level. Such people are vexations to the spirit.Incidentally, in answer to your question, most of what I have was not given to me. Most of what I have was earned - the hard way.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2020, 02:40:18 pm
content: Quote from: Zeyneb on September 12, 2020, 07:03:59 pmAwesome. I think the tinkering outside electronics is a bonus. I once hired a guy and the clincher for him getting the job was as a kid he helped his dad in Sri Lanka restore classic British cars, and his hobby in Australia was restoring Mini Minors (which he had driven one to the interview). Not much electronics in in a Mini Minor! My hunch about him paid off and he proved himself as an excellent engineer.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2020, 03:45:43 pm
content: Ive got my 25 yards swimming certificate and my cycling proficiency badge.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2020, 09:42:57 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on September 13, 2020, 02:28:15 pmBy "given" I mean imparted, taught, or things we have learnt, all those are gifts which we are given, the discovery of some method or way, is a transferrence of wisdom, no matter how it's achieved.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 03:29:31 am
content: I'm a touring live front-of-house sound mixer.Well, I was, until the virus destroyed that entire industry.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 04:54:30 am
content: I had a number of jobs before completing university and going electronics full time.Garden labor, dishwasher, postal delivery, steel fabrication (basically cutting and bending rebar to spec for concrete work), power company field survey, liquor sales clerk, adding machine operator, and cinema projector operator.Family and volunteer work added machining, farm labor, auto repair, baby sitting, disaster relief, and a number of others.All of which have contributed to my tool box of skills. Don't regret any of them.

author: Mighty Burger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 05:38:29 am
content: I don’t have much to say for myself, I’m just an EE student going straight into the field right out of high school. Maybe if you count part-time landscaping then sure.My high school electronics teacher has had a more interesting career though. He started out as an airplane mechanic. I think he did some work in the military, and he has quite the collection of stories. Eventually he made the somewhat odd decision to switch to teaching. He started with history and English and is now teaching electronics, and has been for many years. He wanted to make as positive an impact as he could.He is a fantastic guy. He’s largely what inspired me to head into the electronics field. I have a few funny stories I could share about him.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 10:16:23 am
content: Quote from: Mighty Burger on September 14, 2020, 05:38:29 amGreat story! I too was inspired by some science teachers, a graphics teacher and a physics teacher. Their enthusiasm was infectious, especially the physics teacher named Graeme Lofts (http://www.graemelofts.com/p/about-graeme_26.html) who made physics so interesting.I suspect many teachers might not know what impact they make on people's lives. You may be interested in checking out the original Twilight Zone episode "The Changing of the Guard" 1 June 1962.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734634/A powerful message about the impact teachers have on our lives. In this episode it seriously hard not to choke up.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 10:21:42 am
content: Fire fighter, police officer, cyber security expert and university lecturer on this end. I have spent all my working life with technology and electronics (in one form or another) starting when I was 14. Back then I worked in computer repairs and the internet was provided through dial-up modem. ;-)

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 01:06:25 pm
content: I have been using Linux since the early 2000s or so, switched to using it exclusively on the desktop in 2007. I did have a Windows XP VM handy in case I needed it but I only used it a few times in college and very rarely after that.I have an EPA 608 for doing research on HVAC and refrigeration.Have also done quite a bit of home remodeling/repair work.Quote from: Zeyneb on September 12, 2020, 07:03:59 pmAlso do DIY auto work, although I haven't had to do much for the last decade - Toyotas are quite reliable.Quote from: Bassman59 on September 14, 2020, 03:29:31 amPerhaps it's time to develop a live streaming service that focuses on high audio quality? As in FLAC with up to 7.1 surround. Also support 4K or above video to go with it but allow the audio and video quality to be adjusted independently. And VR would be good for those who like to watch the band playing.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 14, 2020, 05:41:27 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on September 14, 2020, 01:06:25 pmThat's all well and good -- for the bands, and maybe a tech or two. Some friends who own sound companies have reconfigured their shop spaces to do live streams of band performances. They have most of the gear already; it was a simple matter of getting the streaming set up. The quality of both audio and video really depends on what the end user has for broadband access and what they have for decoding. Can you transmit FLAC and more importantly does the viewer have the proper software to decode it?The larger problem is, of course, getting anyone to pay. See, in this YouTube world, users expect free content. A virtual tip jar is nice but my friends in bands tell me that the money is neligible. For higher-tier acts a $10 or $20 (or more) ticket to a one-time live broadcast event is a possible money-maker (I wonder about the income from that recent Nick Cave solo-piano thing, for example) but there's no evidence that it's sustainable or that it can work at all for the lower-tier acts.And ask any musician, from rock to jazz to classical, and they'll all tell you that performing in front of an audience that reacts to the music is much better than what basically amounts to playing in the studio in front of nobody.Also -- streaming like this does nothing for the army of support staff who make shows happen -- backline techs, gear/vehicle rental companies, tour production companies, venue staff from janitors to bartenders to technical crew to booking agents. I watch Dave Rat's YouTube videos that he does just as a way to keep busy while Rat Sound is idle. Never heard of Rat Sound? They're the second largest sound company in the USA, behind Clair Brothers. Rat does, for example, Coachella. What Dave doesn't say in his videos is that he's got tens of millions of dollars in top-shelf production gear sitting in the shop and hundreds of employees doing absolutely nothing, and there's no foreseeable re-start time.What really should happen is that all of the idle tour managers and backline techs and drivers should take over UPS and FedEx. Shit will arrive ON TIME, no excuses, and it will arrive undamaged. Of course you gotta pay these people their usual rates, which means Amazon's free shipping is going away. Whaddaya expect for free, anyway? Actual service?

author: ANTALIFE
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 15, 2020, 05:25:30 am
content: Back in High School I used to work in a camera shop, and that gave me a snippet of the film/photography world. Then my stepdad always tried to get me involved in woodworking/renovations, looking back I am so grateful that he did as these skills have been crazy usefulAfter Uni I did a bit of work for an injection moulding factory as an operator, again so glad that I got to see what happens behind the scenes in the manufacturing worldThe most recent additions would be CAD & 3D printing, plus I am slowly getting back into cosplaying

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 05:20:25 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on September 14, 2020, 10:21:42 amI'm immediately suspicious of anyone attributing "expert" to *themselves*, and I find it far more acceptable as a title attributed to oneself by others. I know you're just used to calling yourself that, but when there's always someone with greater range of knowledge than oneself, I find it may come across as slightly boastful.Also, you make a rod for your own back by labelling yourself as "expert", because sooner or later when you run dry on answers for some problem, you're gonna be asked "I thought you were an 'expert'?"Remember: an ex is a has-been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure.https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/please-stop-calling-yourself-an-expert-instead-just-do-this.html

author: SerieZ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2020, 09:08:44 am
content: Quote from: eti on September 17, 2020, 05:20:25 amMight be a language thing but when I hear "Expert" I think of someone knowledgeable in a certain Field and not of a know-it-all or pretentiousness and I personally find Lifestyle/LinkedIN style Bloggers far, FAR more obnoxious than people who foolishly overestimate their own expertise. Next Week Justin is going to tell us to stop calling yourself a Professional or Engineer or some other great Industry Wisdom.It is so redundant and obvious to say that you have to prove yourself instead of just talk.Also the Expert-Charlatans are easy to spot if you are knowledgeable in a field yourself.

author: indeterminatus
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 18, 2020, 03:37:03 pm
content: Quote from: eti on September 17, 2020, 05:20:25 amIn the software world, it often goes like this (this is not just a meme, it happened to me first-hand, several times, and I suspect I'll be susceptible to it countless times in the future):Someone:Hey, I hear you are the expert for<pick arbitrary technology>in the company? How would I go about<insert in-depth question about that technology>?Self:Erm, what?Someone:Well, I was looking at<insert code snippet>, and saw you made some changes to it.Self:Yeah, the build was broken because some library changed and it wasn't reflected there. I merely got this back to a compiling state. I hope I did not break anything for you? According to the library's documentation, this seemed to be the way to go, and the tests still passed, so ...Someone:Yeah, you know more than I do, which makes you the expert here. The guy who wrote this in the first place left the company four years ago.I suspect you EE guys have similar stories ... it's as easy as making a small change somewhere to become "the expert".

author: Kilo Tango
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 18, 2020, 07:44:17 pm
content: I am a qualified welder.Go to do something to boost earnings of EE's !.Ken

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 01:07:47 am
content: I designed the very first set of collectors cards for the Finnish Defence Forces in 1997; 9 cards, one set in Finnish, and the other in English, showcasing some of the equipment and the defence Minister, to be handed off to people at Tattoo and other such PR events. I still have a few sets as mementoes.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 06:28:20 am
content: I'm a certified HVAC technician. I've never done it for a living but I took the online course and got certified so I could buy R-22 refrigerant and (legally) install and service A/C and heat pump systems. Funny thing is that nobody has ever asked me to show proof of certification when I've bought it, even though they all have a sign that says you have to have it. I also hold a technician class ham radio license.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 07:56:37 am
content: Very early on in my career, I went to the other side and did software, at that time I couldn’t see myself making much money in electronics in the UK. This took me organically into financial enterprise systems just when PCs were taking over from green screens, and client-server technology was in its infancy. As a result for most of the last 30 years I’ve designed, developed, maintained and supported financial trading systems on a consultancy basis. Today’s engagement is as a “full stack developer”, although I’m much more a back end guy, I’m pretty useless when it comes to UIs.I also do a lot more electronics work, but that’s for my own products, and while both sides of my business ebb and flow, they tend to support each other, although the majority of my income for the past ten years has derived from the electronics design and manufacturing side. The electronics side is mixed signal RF, from DSP algorithm development to board layout, much of it in aerospace. “Full stack” as the softies would say,For about three years, around 2012, I semi-retired and did some mid life crisis things. Fearing I would be left behind technically speaking, and finding my life was rather insular, missing the day to day interactions with others, I was asked by an old customer to help them out of a hole for six weeks, but I ended up there for three years, and have since continued picking up further contracts elsewhere.On the side, I play saxophone to a reasonable standard, fly single engined piston planes, and enjoy dining out at fancy restaurants more than is strictly necessary.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 11:38:23 am
content: Quote from: james_s on September 19, 2020, 06:28:20 amOver here, no-one ever asked me for my ham license whenever I bought equipment, and I have been licensed since 1982. Retailers in Australia like Dick Smith Electronics would sell stuff to anyone, no proof of license required. Only in medical electronics has anyone asked for proof of my degree. Absolutely no-one has ever asked me for evidence that I am a trained children's shoes fitter, not even the wife, and that really hurts.

author: Quarlo Klobrigney
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 12:58:46 pm
content: A bachelors degree in Gender Studies and Drama

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 06:38:11 pm
content: Quote from: Quarlo Klobrigney on September 19, 2020, 12:58:46 pmIn some places nowadays, you’d be overqualified.

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2020, 11:21:55 am
content: I had my own photographic business, many years ago. (As a break between elect/electronic work. Lifelong hobby).This was the days still of real film! Had my own dark-rooms at home, and a 'studio'. Most of my work was 'commercial', receivingpallets of china-ware and the like, to make catalogues & posters etc for sales companies. Though I also eventually included doingweddings, and football teams etc, including making large frames. I also loved making 'old-world' Black & White/Sepia Toning photosfor a lot of people. Loved the old 'hands-on' B&W creations in my dark-room!!It's a bit of a 'crass' industry, something like the 'jewelery' business! Some people/companies 'expect' to pay a lot, and if/when Iunder-charged/quoted, they thought it was too cheap. But I had no overheads, and no 'big-head'. Once, a company I was talkingto just wanted 4 photos/posters of some goods. (2 hours to set up, and a few hundred total costs). I said... "$1000..." and he thenimmediately said "do it!"... so with split second thinking I continued... "deposit, and another $800 on delivery!"He said... "Oh yea, no worries. Will deliver the goods tomorrow. Must have the results in 3 days! Thanks".Just because he answered so quick.

author: Ground_Loop
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2020, 12:19:58 pm
content: Before settling into EE I was a restaurant chef, car valet at a country club, and built landscape retaining walls. Moving to the military, I ran nuclear reactors on an aircraft carrier and maintained instrumentation. Since the military, got EE and MBA and have spent many years developing industrial control and process systems.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2020, 06:09:59 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on September 19, 2020, 11:38:23 amWould they have reason to? Over here you don't need a license to buy or posses radio gear, you only need to be licensed in order to operate it. It's only certain things deemed to be hazardous such as CFC or HCFC refrigerants, explosives and that sort of stuff that requires a license to procure.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 12:53:00 am
content: Quote from: james_s on September 20, 2020, 06:09:59 pmWe had a big problem is the 1980's with pirates on 2 metres and even HF. Even in the 2000's I witnessed an unlicensed bloke buying a VX5R from Dick Smith Electronics to use it as a scanner. He admitted to me later that he had operated as a pirate because the temptation was too great. CB'ers operating 200W or higher on 27MHz out of band and 25W or higher on UHF was not uncommon. IMO, the govt made it all too easy because the cost of enforcement was too great. Today, no-one cares to be honest.Quite a lot of CB'ers and ham radio operators from the 1970's and 1980's went on to fulfilling careers as electronics technicians and engineers. But most of the CB'ers just ended up as mobile phone junkies with minimal interest in technical matters. That being said, most new graduate electronics engineers have never heard of CB or ham radio. For the same reason why many would not know what Betamax or VHS is.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 06:03:29 am
content: I don't have any formal training, like degrees or certifications. Everything I do in electronics, computer hardware, and software is self-taught. I made some good living through it though, so I'm quite satisfied. I do have an electrician's license but it's only valid in Japan. Does ham radio counts as electronics? I'm licensed in Japan and US.I am certified in silver level on ballroom dancing.I can cook some mean meals.Trained in abacus (or is this considered vintage computing?)I'm proficient in B&W film based photography and darkroom process.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 06:55:40 am
content: I'm an electronics engineer but I could work as a lifeguard (have the certificate). I also work as a teacher. I have a C1 in french. That's about it..

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2020, 07:11:31 am
content: Love electronics since young age, but didn't want to take it as my career path and I never regret it. Abandoned it totally during busy periods of early life in education after high school, and graduated majors in accounting (bean counter) and law, worked in finance industries and big tobacco company, and finally ended up starting my own business and running it till today.Finally after the dust settled down, about 1 or 2 decades ago re-started again my passion and hobby in electronics, I guess I will be forever EEE (Electronics Engineering Enthusiast).

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 01:46:54 am
content: QuoteHam radio definitely counts as electronics, particularly for those who build antennas, radios, experiment etc. Japan is held in highest esteem with ham radio and about 30 years ago half of all hams world wide were Japanese (I suspect one reason was NTT's exorbitant long distance phone call rates.)Most electronics people like myself cannot dance without a state machine diagram or flowchart. I cannot dance, have below zero artistic ability, cannot play any musical instrument and am incompetent in cooking. I can draw stick figures and that is about it. I did know one really good electronics engineer who was a serious ballroom dancer. The only one I ever met who did not dance like a robot. He went on into project management, which was a shame because the lure of more money meant less job satisfaction and his skills were not properly utilised. I heard that people who are good at dancing or play musical instruments tend to are faster at learning Morse code.Sounds like you are pretty happy doing what you do.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 02:48:21 am
content: I surely had fun and sometimes too much of it.I've learned a lesson and broke it again. Money makes everything boring and "like work." Been there, done that, and did it again.I'm sure some of us can relate.

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 03:31:08 am
content: CPR certificatehttps://www.stjohnqld.com.au/Training/First-Aid-Courses/Accredited-First-Aid-Training/Provide-CPR, it is actually a requirement for my job but anyone working in electrical should have one.

author: ChristofferB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2020, 09:44:16 am
content: I've done a lot of slimy, squishy science, aside from electronics.Chromatography, (almost all kinds), microbiology, x-ray crystallography, organic and inorganic synthesis of a huge variety of molecules, usually big, low-band gap organic semiconductor-ish stuff. Quite a lot of ultrahigh vacuum stuff, UHV system cleaning, maintenance, etc.Also a LOT of spectroscopy, NMR, MS, UV, VIS, IR, CD, fluorescence, gamma, x-rayReally, electronics is the thing that's my 'side qualifications'

author: jkj1962
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 01:51:38 am
content: Electronics is my hobby, although I do have an Associate's Degree. I work in IT Security and desktop support. No certifications, just a lot of OJT. Over the years I've been a theatre usher, heavy equipment oiler/mechanic's helper, bookkeeper and network cable installer. I used to be a certified well-water system operator, but didn't renew. Back in my teens I was in a couple of wannabe rock groups.

author: fourfathom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 02:29:26 am
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on September 24, 2020, 01:46:54 amI can't dance, but still play a mean electric bass guitar. I grew up with electronics as a hobby, but in my teens and early 20's put a lot of effort into becoming a rock star bassist. Well, that didn't happen. I finally looked at what was becoming of the musicians around me and realized that most of them weren't going to end well (drugs, alcohol, and stupidity), and I was neither good or lucky enough to be a big star. So I got serious again about electronics and progressed from technician to engineer. I have no degree, but I did have aptitude and experience, and still have a burning passion for it.Looking back, I can see that I truly found my calling. But I also feel that music and electronics use a lot of the same areas of my brain. I am a strong "pattern and structure" thinker which (I believe) lets me easily re-use concepts from other fields. I tend to be a bit of a dilettante, but can dig deep and stay immersed in a problem for days and weeks at a time when it interests me. I feel the same way about music.BTW, in my Junior High "electric shop" class the instructor saw that I already knew all about light bulbs and similar basics, so he let me learn Morse Code instead. The goal was to get my ham license. I didn't get it then, but by the end of the course I was able to receive code at 25 WPM so he gave me an "A" anyway.

author: SerieZ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 09:59:47 am
content: Quote from: fourfathom on September 25, 2020, 02:29:26 amThat story sounds very similar to mineunfortunately as my pals grow older I find myself playing Bass Guitar less and less...

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 10:58:38 am
content: I am the world's greatest procrastinator. I'll tell you more about it later.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2020, 12:07:50 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on September 24, 2020, 01:46:54 amActually, I'm a decent dancer, including ballroom. I'm the family cook. I'm a decent guitarist (say garage rock level). My only problem is I can't draw a straight line with a ruler a my daughters could draw better than me when they were six.

author: Fox_Alex
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 26, 2020, 12:34:11 am
content: I'm an electronics R&D engineer, but although a good welder and motorcycle mechanician.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2020, 05:44:07 am
content: Quote from: tkamiya on September 24, 2020, 02:48:21 amYour sushi looks awesome. My wife is Italian and my daughter-in-law who lives with us is Japanese (from Imari). Both are great cooks. My daughter-in-law was brought up to cook traditional Japanese food. I don't need to learn to cook! On the other hand neither of them can cook "chips" like I can. I once cooked a jelly (jello) and blew the antique crystal bowl up when I poured the boiling water in. At another time I tried to cook a custard tart. The custard chemically reacted with the pastry flan to create a green isolation barrier. It tasted vile.But you are right. When you are a professional, you lose the enjoyment of being just an enthusiast because you have to make a living from it and you have to deal with the bad (commitments, fear, documentation, egos, etc) and the good (the satisfaction of getting something to work). There is definitely something that is a plus being a hobbyist over a professional.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2020, 05:31:27 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on September 26, 2020, 05:44:07 amThat's why I only did hardware for a living briefly, after years in software I thought I'd be happier doing more traditional EE work, only took a couple of projects to say nope, enough of that! I could very quickly feel my interest dropping and given the hobby has been such a central part of my life I don't want to turn it into work. For some reason as soon as I'm getting paid to do something and am committed to finishing it I can think of so many other projects that I'd rather be working on.