Re: [TenTec] Extra Class Licensing

["Robb Urie" <rurie@cox.net>]

Jim,

Present day USAF Meteorological system maintenance is now replacement of 
the entire LRU. The new system that we are currently installing is first 
troubleshot by the user, then maintenance is called, who in-turn call a 
1-800 number to order the entire suspect item. Our field technicians are 
being reduced to "care takers" who wait for things to break instead of 
performing
hourly inspections. This is done to improve the quality of life and to allow 
us to focus more on administrative duties.

After 23 years in this field, I see many young enlisted folks who are not 
interested in learning their craft. Some of our best
units are manned by retired maintenance folks who still care about doing the 
job, not politics and empire building. Now I
just need one of those cozy civil service jobs!

Robb..., NØRU
Poquoson, Va. (Langley AFB)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Lowman" <jmlowman@sbcglobal.net>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 8:10 PM
Subject: RE: [TenTec] Extra Class Licensing


> Today's electronic technicians have different skills
> than those of years past.
>
> When I got out of radar school in the Air Force and
> got my first permanent assignment, we were all
> required to troubleshoot and replace to the component
> level.  By the third year I was sent to solid-state
> and digital classes, and advanced classes on the newer
> FAA-type air traffic control radar systems.
>
> With these newer systems, we would troubleshoot to the
> circuit card level and replace the entire card.  In
> fact, we were prohibited from repairing the failed
> cards in the field; they had to be returned to a depot
> for repair or, if not cost-effective, disposal.
>
> If I had to guess, I'd say that we have way fewer
> electronic technicians today than 30 years ago.  Of
> those today, I'd estimate that few of them would know
> how to use the oscilloscopes and meters that were the
> mainstays of my work on the radar.
>
> On the older radar systems, it might take an
> experienced technician with a scope two-three hours to
> perform a complete alignment.  With the newer
> equipment, often there was nothing more to adjust than
> the power supply voltage.
>
> But, I could be wrong.  I gave up hardware for
> software in the late 1970s, after returning to
> civilian life.
>
> It is no coincidence that may hams of my era and older
> came from the electronics field.  In my case, it was
> ham radio that landed me the good education and
> assignments to work on complex electronic systems.
>
> 73 de Jim - AD6CW
>
> --- "Jacobs, Gordon" <G_Jacobs@wfec.com> wrote:
>
> > My 2 cents for what it's worth! I occasionally hire
> > technicians. I have
> > interviewed approximately 20 applicants in the last
> > 3 years. With all kinds
> > of qualifications and schooling at least 10 of them
> > could not tell me what
> > ohms law is. They could program routers and all of
> > that stuff, but when it
> > came down to basic trouble shooting you can forget
> > it. It seems that some
> > thing is lacking in this computer age. Of course I
> > am just an OF. Gordon
>
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