Posted on Dec 10, 2020
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I remember Christmas when I was in the eighth grade. We had just moved and there was next to no money left for Christmas that year. My brother surprised me and got me a gift from the Western Auto (Remember that chain?). It was a one transistor radio kit put out by Heathkit. I assembled it and to my surprise, it worked!
I became intrigued by electricity and electronics and wanted to know how it worked. How could that little thing take a signal out of the air and turn it into sound into that earphone? I dove head first into studying electronics and knew that was what I wanted to do in life. (My father was kind of pissed off because he wanted me to go in construction. He saw me and my brothers as employees more than anything) I also knew I wanted to go to DeVry University (Formerly know as DeVry Institute of Technology). After my military service I did just that and got my degree in electronics engineering technology. I worked the field for a long time before getting into the education side and started teaching mathematics.
Imagine that, a little transistor radio kit changed and guided my life! Thanks brother.
I became intrigued by electricity and electronics and wanted to know how it worked. How could that little thing take a signal out of the air and turn it into sound into that earphone? I dove head first into studying electronics and knew that was what I wanted to do in life. (My father was kind of pissed off because he wanted me to go in construction. He saw me and my brothers as employees more than anything) I also knew I wanted to go to DeVry University (Formerly know as DeVry Institute of Technology). After my military service I did just that and got my degree in electronics engineering technology. I worked the field for a long time before getting into the education side and started teaching mathematics.
Imagine that, a little transistor radio kit changed and guided my life! Thanks brother.
Christmas
Gifts
Civilian Career
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 16
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A bicycle even though it was a cleaned up hand me down. It gave me a lot of freedom
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Dad was disabled. Mom worked. 6 kids. Times were always lean. Moved around a lot because of doctors. Always had a little something under the tree.
Never got a bad gift. Mom and Dad did the best they could and stayed married 54 years and we always spent christmas as a family.
My parents were my gift
Never got a bad gift. Mom and Dad did the best they could and stayed married 54 years and we always spent christmas as a family.
My parents were my gift
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The one my parents grew to hate was a steel needle record player that I constantly played "Purple People Eater" on. The one that likely sparked my interest in engineering was a Heathkit shortwave receiver kit. It took me several days to solder in every piece and tune it up, but I was amazed how well it worked. Quickest present loss that really disappointed me was a Cox 049 gas driven hovercraft. Had it out in the street and my smartass brother cut the cord. Naturally it went downhill and into the storm drain. We heard it fade away for some time.
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