[Milsurplus] Re: Milsurplus Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23

[D C Macdonald]

As an electronic tech for FAA's overhaul depot here in
Oklahoma City, I don't have the luxury of "tossing" bad
modules.  The manufacturer quit making them 20 years
ago!!!  We have just been told we are likely to have to
support these transmitters and receivers until 2015!!!

The "suits" finally woke up to the fact that Uncle Sam
doesn't have (and won't have) the money to replace
them on the planned schedule!  We, the techs, have
been trying to tell them that for well over 10 years!

If our shops here weren't virtually filled with retired US
Air Force techs, the place would fall on its butt!

The managers from bottom to top haven't got a clue!

Mac, K2GKK/5



----Original Message Follows----
From: Gary Persons <kd5day at sbcglobal.net>
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Milsurplus] Re: Milsurplus Digest, Vol 3, Issue 23
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 18:05:51 -0500

I was thinking about getting my A+ computer service tech certification. I 
bought the book and started studying it. One of the first questions on the 
sample test is this:
" A customer brings in a computer. You diagnose the problem as the power 
supply. What is the next step?"
Well, the 20+ years of being a component level technician kicks in and I 
answer the question that says I would repair the power supply. Wrong, you 
would replace the power supply! I almost fell over! But with computer power 
supplies running about $40.00, I can understand why you would replace them.

  I got a pretty good taste of this when I repaired video games at work. I 
had a basket full of switching power supplies that noone could seem to fix. 
(Something about none one in the games tech department had any electronics 
tech training? NOT the same department I work in now.) I called a vendor to 
order some more and when he quoted me a price of $20.00 each, I threw the 
broke ones in the trash! And I HATE to throw electronics away!

Like I said folks, blame it on the BIC lighter!

HMMM< I think I need to go the my radio club meeting and come back home and 
work on my broke CPRC 8 with those Fleming Valves in it!