Posted by Glenn on February 15, 2026 at 23:44:41.

In Reply to: Re: To Gedas posted by Gedas W8BYA on February 14, 2026 at 21:08:27.

I have had a crazy TURN of EVENTs in my career. I wanted to find a job in the broadcast industry equipment companies when I left college because of my love for radio. But there were none available. Some company like Gates or Continental. But I couldn't find anything. I started out in a telephone company as a mobile telephone and UHF maintenance radio tech. Back then I had a first phone and ship radar endorsement license. Years later the FCC canceled them all! If only they knew how hard I studied for the exams. I did work as an announcer at 4 different radio stations while going to college. But after realizing there was no money to be had I struck out in the oil and gas industry making much higher wages. I picked up an interest in industrial instrumentation and control. I studied instrumentation like crazy as well as different processes. I was picked to learn, configure and maintain a distributive control system in a plant located near Lubbock Tx. I worked at that many years and wound up as an operation supervisor of that plant. During part of that time I worked for the district gas plant engineer. Interesting and motivating fellow who taught me that there is little that you cannot accomplish if you put your mind to it. I learned so much that my mind is leaking. It was great work but all good things come to an end. The company I worked for was being taken over and I had to accept (a higher paying job out of state in a bad place) a job as a superintendent that I did not want. So I decided I was looking for a job when I found that one. And that I could go elsewhere even if it means starting over. I started over but it wasn't long when I was able to step up. I became a QAQC guy and traveled all over the south troubleshooting problems that the local groups could not resolve. During all that time my company changed companies three times. The last company gave me a job of working a large operations district where I used my knowledge to troubleshoot, specify and recommend control systems throughout the area. I was able to do just about what I wanted to. There is nothing like having the reigns of your job in you own hands. The last year of my career there I was called in one day and told that I would be reporting to the Controls Engineering department. I wasn't asked but told to. Very strange for the company I worked for. Someone wanted me bad. It was fun and I miss it. I worked one year as a control engineer without a professional engineering license. Since I reported to a PE I could get away with that. So I have had a lot of opportunity, setback, and step-up in my career. I look back on all of it with fondness. You can work 16 or more hours a day doing startups and troubleshooting. It can wear an tear on you mind. But I enjoyed it. I do not regret leaving that job but the years have taken their toll and so I retired. One great lesson I learned is that you can learn after college. You can just about be anything you want to be. And that can make a big difference. I have seen so many things, done so many. But now it is time do relearn and enjoy what I love most. I used to scrub the town dump for my radio parts. It is amazing some of the parts that I do have. I plan on using all of it.

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