[Hallicrafters] Re: Nobody wants to be a "technician" anymore

[Howard Weeks]

Prior to the middle 60s or so, the Army used to teach the theory 
supporting the repair of many communication items.  Before then, it 
was a good place to go to learn the basics.  

Starting in the late 60s, the bean counters and efficiency experts 
(?) got involved and they began to gut the courses.  Essentially, 
they do not teach the theory behind anything these days.  Basically, 
they teach the repairman to read the manual and follow the trouble 
shooting charts.  Without the manual, they are completely useless.  
With it, they are not much better.  Today, they are nothing more than 
"module changers".  Unless something has changed recently, and I am 
sure it hasn't, they do not teach system level trouble shooting or 
diagnosis.  With the increasing use of router and switch based 
digital communications systems, that is not a trivial problem.  

Today, the Army takes a truck load of contractors to the field with 
them to do the system level diagnosis and required repairs.  

It "ain't" what it used to be!

Howard

On 31 Mar 2008 at 19:05, Ron Lawrence W4RON wrote:

> Yep I agree completely.
> I've been working in the electrical, electronic, equipment
> design field for more than 35 years. I started with electronics
> class in high school, went to Air Force Crypto School,
> took classes at the local community collage and learned

Howard Weeks
Harlem, GA 
K5JCP