I started the basic electronics course in September, 1970 on a
self-paced track. Rather than
have lecture, we studied the materials ourselves and took the test for
each phase when we
felt ready to do so. There was an instructor to answer questions. I
failed one of the last
modules (I think it was the one on multivibrator circuits) and had to
finish the last phase in an
instructor-led class. Then on to ATC radar maintenance school.
Were you possibly thinking about hurricane Camille? Things were still
pretty torn up from it
when I was there; beautiful homes along the gulf coast that people
walked away from, and the
beach was off limits due to all of the debris in the sand.
My roommate, who was finishing his tech school as I was starting mine,
was the shift secretary
and gave the job to me when he departed. I got married in early
November at the base chapel
and moved off base, so not much time spent in the barracks.
You're right about the schools. I came back from Japan after two years
for six months of
advanced training on the GPN-12; the FAA solid-state equivalent of the
FPN-47 search radar.
Since my wife was still in Japan and I had time on my hands, I
volunteered for double shift so
that I could pick up the class on the new digital system that was
replacing the old IFF/SIF
system. It was 60 hours a week in the classroom, but it was also a lot
of good training.
Never put it to use after getting out after 8 years, though. I had gone
back to college at Cal Poly
and switched majors from EE to computer science. Often I wonder what
life would have been
like as an engineer.
73 de Jim - AD6CW
Steve Kline wrote:
Jim,
I was there January 1971 to start my initial electronics courses then
followed by ATC Radar stuff. No hurricanes while I was there. Carla
came through before I ever got there. I believe it came ashore in 68.
Had two duty assignments during my initial tour. From tech school I
went to Westover AFB, MA (SAC base at that time with squadron or so of
B-52's and KC-135 refuelers). Then in 1973 I had an assignment to Ubon,
Thailand. Went through Yokota on my way to Thailand but they wouldn't
let us leave the hanger, so didn't see much at all of Japan.
At Westover we had an FPN-47 and FPN-16. In Ubon we only had a double
long trailer with combined PAR and 60 mile approach as I recall. RAPCON
was a separate trailer of course. Spent about 1/2 of the total time in
schools it seemed. Wouldn't trade those 4 years for anything. What an
experience (and education too).
73 - Steve W5JK
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