My dad was a farmer/mechanic/school bus driver when the REA electrified this county in 1939. He added another job; this REMCs first meter reader. Back then part of the REA deal was to offer "wiring" workshops at the local high schools to teach folks how to use this new invention, electricity. Dad took the classes and had a natural aptitude for it. He added another job title; electrician. He began wiring local farms to have light to milk and feed by and to pump water to livestock. Only later did farmers consider electricity in the house! Over the next 25 years dad wired a lot of old farmhouses as well as new homes. He also built a lot of radio transmitters/receivers after WWII and loved the Heathkits. He had a real passion for electricity/electronics. It rubbed off on me and when I thought I had learned all dad knew I tagged along on other's shirt tails for what I could learn. Didn't make much money, didn't need much as a kid, but what I learned was invaluable. I strive to maintain the level of quality and craftsmanship I learned from these old gentlemen who were there at the birth of electricity in this country.

Heathkit,there is a name that I haven't thought of in a long time.
I can remember the excitement when my first kit came and I put it together according to the step by step instructions and it worked!!
I believe it was a VTVM.Since those days in the late 50s and early 60s there were stereo amps and even color TVs that came to the house in kit form.What great fun looking at the old WWII Navy electricans and electronics hand books trying to understand somethig that you could not see but could see,hear, and feel the effects of.
I went on to get an electrical engineering degree which encouraged me to pursue my PE and electrical contractors license.
Thanks for jogging my memory.Enjoyed reading about your start.

Chris,

You're jogging my memory here. My dad used to build the Heathkits too and I would watch. I remember the Tube tester with all th edifferent socket configurations and the scrolling table with the different settings you had to do. I built the portable VOM but I think We had to send it away to get it to work, I'm not sure. I took several Yrs of Electronics in HS, it was one of my favorite things too. We built a Superhetrodyne !! That didn't work either though. I think I was "soldering challenged"

I could be somewhat of a real 'Poindexter' sometimes.
Anyone know what "Log Log Duplex Decitrig" means?


Bill

Bill
It is the kind of slide rule that was made Post and K&E.I still have my original one that is 45 years old.Computers and hand held calculators have made slide rules obsolete.

Chris,

You're right!
I expected to be able to get some Huhs?

I still have my dads' around somewhere too. I can't say that I remember how to use it, but that phrase has always stayed in my mind - Why? - I have no Idea ??


Bill

My Stepdad was a Heathkitter. I had slot cars, and not much $ @ 12 yrs. old. I remember his patience at teaching me to solder (which I still can't do worth a darn).
My introduction to grounding/polarity issues came as a guitarist in a band at about 16 yrs, when we first started out. We were to play at a large church fair. We had 3 wire to 2 wire adapters and 2 wire extension cords plugged in any which way. Hot and sweaty, I was testing the PA system when my lips touched the Mic @ the same time as my fingers were on the guitar strings, causing me to get shocked lips and yell SH** at the top of my lungs. This echoed throughout the church fair. We had to leave, and I was bound and determined to find out why I was shocked. My stepdad came through again and explained it to me. I had time to fix it, 'cause I was grounded (not electrically) for a week for cussing at church.

lol! great story! Gives a whole new meaning to 'Hot Lips'.

[This message has been edited by Boscodog (edited 05-25-2001).]