mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
One of the techs I trained many years ago was a 5'4" woman. We had to buy step stools for most of our larger phone closets. Now that she's an engineer, I've noticed that things get mounted lower on the wall then they used to.
-
To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:
Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.
If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.
To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.
The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.
For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).
This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.
What is the best way to get into the backbone of system infrastructure and programming?
- Thread starter Mboy00
- Start date
- Status
One of the techs I trained many years ago was a 5'4" woman. We had to buy step stools for most of our larger phone closets. Now that she's an engineer, I've noticed that things get mounted lower on the wall then they used to.
Took me over 20 years to get to system administrator, and all the stuff mentioned in this thread was important, especially the people networking. It's definitely not a job you can just jump into from programmer/tech.....
So from what I’ve gathered it’s going to take many many years, and I have to work myself from the bottom up. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what college degree to go for?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
IP networking.
And when you are done with that, take some IP networking classes.
Not really a degree that directly matches this line of work.
Electronics
Telecommunications
Engineering
Many of the people I know doing this either do not have a degree, or have a degree in some completely irrelevant field.
-I never finished college, although I went for years, and still occasionally take courses in many different topics (last one was a community college welding course).
-I have a guy that works for me that has a degree in theater arts. Another lady that has a degree in literature
-A -lot- of ex military guys, The county shop is run by an ex-US Marine aircraft electronics guy
-A consultant I've been using for a large project is also an ex-US Marine radio guy
Most, as in 90%, of the training comes from on the job or manufacturer training. A college degree on its own won't get you in the door ahead of anyone else. Real world experience gets most of the doors opened.
Your best option is to get an entry level job with a local radio shop. College courses will teach you the high level stuff, but you gotta have hands on experience, and you get that down on the ground, wearing blue jeans and boots.
Some other ideas that may help:
Get your GROL. If you don't know what a GROL is, look it up, it's an FCC license.
Get tower climber certification
Take any networking course you can get, some manufacturers do free online training if you keep your eyes open.
A ham radio license doesn't hurt, but it won't get you very far in the industry on its own.
Really hard to get into this line of work without real world experience.
I’ve been pushed and pushed throughout my schooling to go to college, so I’m definitely going to go that route for sure. I am very grateful right now in terms to real world experience as I’ve gotten lucky enough to already start programming a few things for a few people, and they’ve started to role the ball in terms of building relationships. I am most likely going to end up with a job at a radio shop within the next year or so, which is good progress as well. I’m for sure going to be looking into the certifications, just gotta figure out when is the right time to get them. Thanks a lot!
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Good deal.
There's no reason not to go to college if you can do it. It lays a good foundation. There really isn't one degree that will get you what you want. Data networking is a good skill to have if you want to work on any modern systems. Electronics would be a good course of study.
The radio shop job will really help, as it'll get you exposed to things and give you a better idea of what you'll need. It'll also fill out your resume. Most important part is to not be afraid to get your hands dirty. It's going to happen, get used to it. This isn't a "sit in the office with shiny shoes and pressed slacks" kind of job. If you want that, go into sales.
The job certifications need to be done carefully. Some expire, and while having an expired certification isn't a bad thing, as it'll show you did do the training at some point, some things need to be current (like tower climber certifications). Technology also moves quickly, so getting certified in some technology that is disappearing isn't worth the effort. FCC GROL never expires.
Depending on where you are located:
International Wireless Communications Expo happens every spring. It's in Florida in 2024, likely back in Las Vegas in 2025. It's a good show to attend, and you can often get into the expo floor for free or inexpensively. IWCE - Connecting Critical Communications
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) is an organization you can join. They have some good resources for those getting started in the industry, although most are centered around 911 dispatchers. There is some radio stuff. They do a big show every year, Nashville this year…. APCO International
Oh that's awesome! I'll see around the break schedule this year and hopefully I can attend those conferences! Thanks for all the insight!
Not really a degree that's directly relevant to an RF-oriented career, but I'd recommend you take a class or two in journalism (aka communications studies), public speaking and basic Office applications.
Think of journalism/communications classes as practical English. You will become much more adroit at written communication skills. Having coherent writing skills is vital, especially if you want to move up the ladder to more advanced positions. Same thing for verbal communication skills. You'll need to be able to express your ideas in an efficient manner.
I think it's also important to have a good grasp on office technology. That's where a basic course in MS Office applications (Word, Outlook, Excel and Powerpoint) is helpful.
I’d say try and get a business administration degree, since some jobs want a degree for any management jobs.
dickie757
Wired
You started this thread one day after I started my new job in radio. I was a professional welder prior to this. The thing was, I never wanted to weld, but the needs of the Navy said "You are going to be an aerospace welder." Granted, I have worked on some awesome projects and made tons of money. But I needed a change. My family is in a position where I can work, and I mean work my ass off, at a lower paying job but still be very secure, we won't have to sell our boat....
My radio adventure started when I wanted to go offroading out of cell range. I bought a GMRS license and then got my Tech ham license. The bug bit me hard. I offered my welding skills to my local club, then they made me VP of the club. We had a lot of fun on the air, at meetings, working at repeater sites, having social nights where we helped each other with projects, etc. I also got fully entrenched in the public service side of ham radio with the Auxcomm group. The coordinator put me in the safety position, and the county emergency manager sponsored me for FEMA and ICS classes. I was on my way to a FEMA All hazards safety officer position.
Then corona blew up. We sold our stuff and moved back to Virginia. I knew from research that pro/commercial radio gear is more network dependent. I posted a question on my favorite tech site asking about networking classes and experience. The response I got was more of a dissertation than a reply. In a nutshell, the sys admins came out and said they want experience and self motivation over education and degrees. They said classes are helpful, but experience is a must. I have a small home lab that keeps growing.
Now, for present day...the shop I work for has customers all over the country. The techs and installers travel for simple and complex stuff. I am an installer. Granted, I haven't worked on a radio since being hired on, but I have installed lights, sirens, brackets, grommets, crimped sooooo many butt splices, and the project I'm on now is a kennel in the back seat of a pickup truck! I work out in the elements, in a hot garage, in a stinky van, travel to fix a malfunctioning light, sweep up and keep the work area clean. And ask a million questions. They knew my only experience was with ham radio. The recruiter says, they can train people for the job, but they can't provide the passion for the job. I must have it. You must have it.
I want to do more advanced work for the company, but I need to make them see I'm worth the effort. I also know I have to pay my dues and put in the hard work. They have a spreadsheet that lays out the progression all the way up to the top, on the technical side. The management and supervision side is different, and not my cup 'o tea. One of the positions I saw is a microwave tech. Looks like fun and challenging.
Be humble and know that different folks do things other ways. I have seen demanding customers and lax customers. I am meeting a ton of people. One of my old co-workers is now a Tech at the organization that holds one of our huge contracts. That will go well for both of us. We got along and hated or previous employment, but love our new roles.
Not sure if any of this helps you decide, but I had to finally chime in the conversation to let you get a picture of someone doing what you want to do.
My radio adventure started when I wanted to go offroading out of cell range. I bought a GMRS license and then got my Tech ham license. The bug bit me hard. I offered my welding skills to my local club, then they made me VP of the club. We had a lot of fun on the air, at meetings, working at repeater sites, having social nights where we helped each other with projects, etc. I also got fully entrenched in the public service side of ham radio with the Auxcomm group. The coordinator put me in the safety position, and the county emergency manager sponsored me for FEMA and ICS classes. I was on my way to a FEMA All hazards safety officer position.
Then corona blew up. We sold our stuff and moved back to Virginia. I knew from research that pro/commercial radio gear is more network dependent. I posted a question on my favorite tech site asking about networking classes and experience. The response I got was more of a dissertation than a reply. In a nutshell, the sys admins came out and said they want experience and self motivation over education and degrees. They said classes are helpful, but experience is a must. I have a small home lab that keeps growing.
Now, for present day...the shop I work for has customers all over the country. The techs and installers travel for simple and complex stuff. I am an installer. Granted, I haven't worked on a radio since being hired on, but I have installed lights, sirens, brackets, grommets, crimped sooooo many butt splices, and the project I'm on now is a kennel in the back seat of a pickup truck! I work out in the elements, in a hot garage, in a stinky van, travel to fix a malfunctioning light, sweep up and keep the work area clean. And ask a million questions. They knew my only experience was with ham radio. The recruiter says, they can train people for the job, but they can't provide the passion for the job. I must have it. You must have it.
I want to do more advanced work for the company, but I need to make them see I'm worth the effort. I also know I have to pay my dues and put in the hard work. They have a spreadsheet that lays out the progression all the way up to the top, on the technical side. The management and supervision side is different, and not my cup 'o tea. One of the positions I saw is a microwave tech. Looks like fun and challenging.
Be humble and know that different folks do things other ways. I have seen demanding customers and lax customers. I am meeting a ton of people. One of my old co-workers is now a Tech at the organization that holds one of our huge contracts. That will go well for both of us. We got along and hated or previous employment, but love our new roles.
Not sure if any of this helps you decide, but I had to finally chime in the conversation to let you get a picture of someone doing what you want to do.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Excellent and very informative post. Always good to get someone who's actually going through it to give their input. Glad you landed in something you enjoy. Nice to have the security to pursue a job you enjoy rather that stuck in a job that simply pays the bills.
I had one of my vendors deliver a bunch of radios for a project late Friday afternoon. I had a few minutes to talk to him, and he was mentioning how hard it was for them to get new people. He had a number of positions open, all the way from entry level to top level. Even though a lot of local shops have shut down, I guess a lot of people have left the industry.
He specifically talked about a high school student that had started as an intern a while back. He was working full time through the summer and really interested in the field.
As mentioned above, he was putting in his dues at the bottom rung. Sweeping the shop, helping with inventory, learning the products.
Jobs are out there if you look.
Absolutely this is plus. The last technician I brought on-board from another department in my County had tons of prior marine radio experience, so I knew he had the basic radio knowledge. Years later he has grown into an awesome technician totally grasping P25, microwave, OTAP, etc...
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Here ya go, job opening in Boulder Colorado. If my wife didn't hate the snow, I'd probably apply for this:
Radio Systems Manager
It’s a great time to join the City of Boulder! Hiring Range: $108,784.00 - $132,912.00 Job Description Summary: JOB OBJECTIVE: Under general direction, manage the city’s mission critical Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system to support all public safety and non-public safety departments that use the...
bouldercolorado.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
slowmover
Active Member
Here ya go, job opening in Boulder Colorado. If my wife didn't hate the snow, I'd probably apply for this:
Radio Systems Manager
It’s a great time to join the City of Boulder! Hiring Range: $108,784.00 - $132,912.00 Job Description Summary: JOB OBJECTIVE: Under general direction, manage the city’s mission critical Land Mobile Radio (LMR) system to support all public safety and non-public safety departments that use the...bouldercolorado.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
It’s the most beautiful city inside the country. And only a short drive up into the high country for every pursuit.
FWIW, snow along the Front Range is “dry” and doesn’t last long due to altitude and low humidity year-round. Not at all like, say, wet & windy Chicago. Here today and gone tomorrow.
Boulder isn’t nearly as nice as it was prior to 1970, but the same can be said for Colorado in general (along with the rest of the U.S.)
That out of the way, one is already living in a vacation-land.
Schedule a summer trip on the Durango-Silverton narrow-gauge railway. And then a few nights at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. If that doesn’t convince her of the magic of the Rockies, you at least tried.
All Aboard! - Official Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train provides historic and entertaining vintage train rides to the public year round.
www.durangotrain.com
Historic Stanley Estes Park Hotel
Stanley Hotel In Estes Park, CO offers 4 types of hotel accommodations including 1909 historic hotel rooms, historic boutique hotel, modern hotel rooms, and 1 to 3 bedroom condominiums perfect for groups. Enjoy stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. Stanl
www.stanleyhotel.com
.
Last edited:
- Status
