The whole field nowadays has gone from a field where all you needed was to understand RF and electronics to a field where you now have to be a Technician who knows how to work on computers, networks, electronics, station alerting systems, PA systems, coax, antennas, network cabling and a bunch of other things. You also have to know how to handle the occasional "radio guy" customer.
Any Technician openings
- Thread starter flyboy4545
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Our company utilizes radio shops all over the country. We have radios nationwide and utilize radio-over-IP to connect to them all. Some of the radio shop techs really struggle with computers. A tech will shine if they have a good understanding of radios, computers, and a little networking sprinkled in. Formal training on paper goes a long way.
Yes this is true but RF is not being taught.
If you do not understand RF you will not go far.
Radio Shops now hire a IT guy he does all the IT work you still have to have the person that understands Antennas, Feedlines and Radios.
If you do not understand RF you will not go far.
Radio Shops now hire a IT guy he does all the IT work you still have to have the person that understands Antennas, Feedlines and Radios.
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If you have “basic” skills but programming P25 Trunked systems (going to assume for personal use) that will not be an asset that shops want.
Programming is the least amount of work done by a radio shop professional. Site installation/mtce,RF troubleshooting,vehicle installs etc are the major component.
having a strong IP background is a must these days when doing infrastructure at almost any level.
Be prepared to make the minimum amount they are willing to pay (which many don’t pay well anyways) - unless your a Jack of all trades.
OJT will only get you so far, but a strong 2-4 year electronics or military education background in a similar field will result in the best outcome.
so if your only experience is “programming radios” - you won’t find anyone that would hire you.
if you know RF, IT/IP, electrical theory and have the expensive certs to back it up, you’ll move to the head of the line.
Programming is the least amount of work done by a radio shop professional. Site installation/mtce,RF troubleshooting,vehicle installs etc are the major component.
having a strong IP background is a must these days when doing infrastructure at almost any level.
Be prepared to make the minimum amount they are willing to pay (which many don’t pay well anyways) - unless your a Jack of all trades.
OJT will only get you so far, but a strong 2-4 year electronics or military education background in a similar field will result in the best outcome.
so if your only experience is “programming radios” - you won’t find anyone that would hire you.
if you know RF, IT/IP, electrical theory and have the expensive certs to back it up, you’ll move to the head of the line.
This is what happens when you let the IT Crowd do RF:
Background: Municipal 'Free' wifi, downtown business area. Put in by a contractor, who didn't provide any as-builts, nor did they properly secure some of the lower sites against vandals. So one weekend somebody stood on a railing, reached over the chain-link fence enclosure and start flailing with a knife. Monday AM the IT Crowd called muni Radio Shop & asks if we have to tools and connectors for LMR400. (Is the Pope.....?) This pic is what IT had tried to do to get the site back in action before he called me.
Background: Municipal 'Free' wifi, downtown business area. Put in by a contractor, who didn't provide any as-builts, nor did they properly secure some of the lower sites against vandals. So one weekend somebody stood on a railing, reached over the chain-link fence enclosure and start flailing with a knife. Monday AM the IT Crowd called muni Radio Shop & asks if we have to tools and connectors for LMR400. (Is the Pope.....?) This pic is what IT had tried to do to get the site back in action before he called me.
That's horrendous....he didn't even solder the center conductor.
IT HAPPENS
Call CMPD and ask who their vendor is for vehicle installs.
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Wow oh, you're 84 years old. I'm 68 and retired. The job that you are qualified for, which would be full-time, again, with your background it's going to put you way over the amount that you were going to have to pay taxes on including your Social Security. Your kind of experience can't be matched.
Go to all the local shops in your area as far as you can afford to drive and introduce yourself and see what you can do about getting some off the books or 1099 gigs. Chances are if you never report the income you will be okay. Especially at the amount that I think you're getting as Social Security at your age. Unless you're not telling us about some huge pensions you're getting. Good luck to you!
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Dana is an Upfitter
The person who is asking about this job is not the person you are replying to...
Mecklenburg County does their own installs with assistance.
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Got it
Noticed a couple municipal areas having a in house radio shop and all the new era techs are only pc IT flavors with no RF interest other than basics to get it going then no interest in it to troubleshooting issues. It's acting funny just call Motorola if not replace with new if it can't be sent in.
I am the RF background inhouse radio guy firefighter 800 trunking vhf repeater sone to go DMR.
Went to Vo Tech School late 1970's Firefighter 1983 and still there today.
Went to Vo Tech School late 1970's Firefighter 1983 and still there today.
prcguy
Member
When I was in Jr High and High School I thought my dream job would be a rocking hot two way radio repair tech. I got a job a few months out of High School working for a major radio company starting as a QC tech then a repair tech and did well, learned a lot and had a great time. Then after a year had to move to another state where I worked as a salesman, installer and radio repair tech at a two way radio store then finally became the install/repair shop manager. After about 6yrs I moved back to So Cal where I went back to work for my first employer, the two way radio company and made it to the lead, actually the only land mobile repair tech for the entire company.
The further up the ladder I got in the radio business the more I hated it. Management constantly wanted more and more and the pay was never that great. With radio also being my hobby the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was play with a radio.
Fast forward with a 10yr career in aerospace working up to a research and development engineer I finally moved into satellite broadcast in 1996. All the stuff I had learned over the years like circuit troubleshooting, RF, antennas, electro-mechanical, etc, made it an easy jump to satellite broadcast. The pay for a satellite broadcast engineer is not bad and I didn't realize how good until after 18yrs I retired from my main employer and found people wanting to pay me $1k per day all expenses paid to travel and work on satellite uplink/downlink equipment, huge satellite dishes and there is a lot of work out there at that rate. The people I worked for charged their customer $2,500/day for my services and the customer doesn't even question it, there is a lot of $$ to throw around in the broadcast industry. I stopped all formal work when COVID hit 2yrs ago and have not done any since but I might dabble a bit in the future just to keep current in the technology.
I would suggest you set your sights a little higher and maybe work towards something in the broadcast industry. The pay scale is higher than the two way radio world and I found there are a lot of people in satellite broadcast that talk a good story but don't really perform well. If you show up every day and simply don't screw anything up you will be way ahead of many people in that industry and will climb the ladder fast.
The further up the ladder I got in the radio business the more I hated it. Management constantly wanted more and more and the pay was never that great. With radio also being my hobby the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was play with a radio.
Fast forward with a 10yr career in aerospace working up to a research and development engineer I finally moved into satellite broadcast in 1996. All the stuff I had learned over the years like circuit troubleshooting, RF, antennas, electro-mechanical, etc, made it an easy jump to satellite broadcast. The pay for a satellite broadcast engineer is not bad and I didn't realize how good until after 18yrs I retired from my main employer and found people wanting to pay me $1k per day all expenses paid to travel and work on satellite uplink/downlink equipment, huge satellite dishes and there is a lot of work out there at that rate. The people I worked for charged their customer $2,500/day for my services and the customer doesn't even question it, there is a lot of $$ to throw around in the broadcast industry. I stopped all formal work when COVID hit 2yrs ago and have not done any since but I might dabble a bit in the future just to keep current in the technology.
I would suggest you set your sights a little higher and maybe work towards something in the broadcast industry. The pay scale is higher than the two way radio world and I found there are a lot of people in satellite broadcast that talk a good story but don't really perform well. If you show up every day and simply don't screw anything up you will be way ahead of many people in that industry and will climb the ladder fast.
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