[MilCom] MT Feb 06 Milcom Related Article

[Tom Greenwood]

Larry et all

Having been employed in the communications industry for about the last 25
years, I have made quite a few observations about people who while in title
are called "RF Engineers", I have found very few that truly understand RF
engineering.  There are a lot of people who seem to understand quite well
the very narrow segment of the industry that they work in but the majority
are complete idiots when it comes to anything outside of that sphere.

I have worked since high school in broadcast engineering, point to point
microwave transmission, military communications, satellite communications,
public safety communications, and now for the last 10 years cellular/pcs
communications with my specialization now being the design of communications
systems for inside buildings.  There are a lot of talented people out there
who understand their narrow sphere of RF engineering but ask them about
another sphere and they for the life of them can't understand that aspect of
the industry despite the basic principals of engineering being unchanged.  I
have had many discussions with engineers about antenna engineering for
cellular and pcs applications.  But when you talk to them about why an AM
tower is as large as as it is, they look at you like you are nuts.

Which brings me to what we may be seeing here.  A lot of very intelligent
people out there but they are so in tuned with their narrow sphere of
engineering or operations, that they for the life of them can't understand
anything beyond that.  On the other hand, I also can't help but wonder
whether these people thinking that the knowledge of frequencies and
locations may cause interference may be just of the caliber of person who
learns just a little about something and then immediately becomes a self
proclaimed expert on everything!

Keep up the great work.  I will admit to mainly being a lurker here on these
lists.  I read them everyday and enjoy the great reporting by the many
dedicated people here.  I don't post too much due to the possibility of
raising concerns by others in the industries I represent and their desire
for confidentiality.  When I retire, I will perform a massive brain dump!

73's

Tom Greenwood, N1JQB
Metro West Boston, MA