[AT] was generator=ee / tubes

[Thomas O. Mehrkam]

One of the most important concepts an Engineer should learn is KISS. 
"Keep it simple Stupid"

That one concept and a clear understanding of Murphy's law goes a long way.

It also helps to have some blue collar experience in your formative years.

I helped on peanut farms and rice farms during my early years. While I 
was in collage I repaired TV's and worked in a commercial Printing 
plant. The experience there was invaluable. I learned what worked and 
what did not.

My first couple of jobs were making Packaging Machines, "Corn chips in 
bags" and electronic Sorting machines. We had huge machine shops, 
plating shops and electronic manufacturing shops. I use to spend a lot 
of time talking to the Machinist, Welders and assembly people. That was 
an education in it's self.

Today most of our manufacturing is outsourced and those people are not 
available. The education of the New Engineers suffer because of that.

I hunt with our Ex CEO, A couple of Vice Presidents and a retired 
Engineer Manager. One of the tests when hiring new Engineers was to take 
them hunting and see if they knew which end of the Gate to open and how 
to hold a Shot Gun. If they passed that test they were usually hired. A 
hunting trip is also a good test of common sense.


Ken Knierim wrote:
> While tubes have been removed and replaced over the years in a lot of
> systems, I found one recently that the modern electronics weren't able
> to cope with.
>