Electronics background?

trent_julie · #1 02-05-2009, 08:44 AM

Just a quick observation/question.... But is it me, or do a lot of armature astronomers come from an electronics/engineering background?

If so could this magnetic attraction to astronomy be attributed to in the technical and specification driving nature of astronomy?

Or is it that people with a technical background can smell each other out
(i call the fragrance, la-capacita)

Just thought I would put it to the forum, what sort of background do you have?

Dennis · #2 02-05-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trent_julie

Just a quick observation/question.... But is it me, or do a lot of armature astronomers come from an electronics/engineering background?

Hi Trent

Your Freudian slip is giving away your own technical background – amateur vs. armature!

I’ve found that I’ve had to learn about electronics and computing to keep up to date with astronomy, so it has been the other way around for me!

Cheers

Dennis

trent_julie · #3 02-05-2009, 10:10 AM

lol nice use of a pun, i wont claim that one as it was absolutely a typo, 10 points to you

DavidU (Dave) · #4 02-05-2009, 10:36 AM

Yep, electronics background here. (valve amp specialist)

acropolite (Phil) · #5 02-05-2009, 11:59 AM

Same here, technician since leaving school, not much component level stuff nowdays.

xnomad · #6 02-05-2009, 01:53 PM

Nope, I'm a systems and network administrator. It is a technical background though.

Something I really enjoy with astronomy is having to manually locate objects in the sky with maps and setting circles and star hopping without using a GOTO or similar. This is strangely satisfying and addictive even if the object is unimpressive and almost invisible. The harder and longer it takes to find, the more I enjoy it when I'm successful.

I love doing everything the manual hard way, I find you learn your subjects a lot quicker if you aren't seperated by another layer of automation. And learning about the universe is learning about the origins of life etc. Which I find more satisfying than what any religion could offer me.

PCH (Paul) · #7 02-05-2009, 02:47 PM

Yep,

ship's Electronics Officer followed by Mainframe Computer Engineer for me

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #8 02-05-2009, 03:07 PM

Yep, started life in the PMG (oops...showing my age?) and working in electronic design for 10 to 15 years. Then branching into computers and software development in the mid to late 80's, which I still do today (current project has a code base of 300,000+ lines).

Starkler (Geoff) · #9 02-05-2009, 04:00 PM

Another electronics techie here (radio and comms)

From a young age I was always fascinated to find out how things work, and that includes the universe around us.

I was never content to just accept the gifts to humankind of science and technological advancement as magical gifts to be taken for granted without attempting to gain an understanding of how they work.

Phil · #10 02-05-2009, 06:39 PM

Electronic and electrical background.
Phil

Baddad (Marty) · #11 02-05-2009, 07:05 PM

Hey Trent_Julie,

Hmmm! Me thinks that my Avatar says it all.

Cheers Marty

Glenhuon (Bill) · #12 02-05-2009, 07:13 PM

Mechanical Fitter for 40 years, but was always interested in electrical/electronics. Like finding out what makes things tick

and it helped me relate to the sparkies I worked alongside.

Bill

Kevnool (Kev) · #13 02-05-2009, 08:01 PM

From road train driver to roadworks to road work supervision with computers as a hobbie and basic electronics.
Cheers Kev.

Cheers

MrB (Simon) · #14 02-05-2009, 10:41 PM

Yep electronics background.... all the way back infact.
Developed an interest in coloured lights and things that flashed and beeped when I was about 4 or 5 so my parents bought me a Radio Shack 30-in-1 Electronic Projects Lab(wish I still had it) when I was 6, Dick Smith Funway1 set when I was 7 or 8, then Funway2, then 3... etc etc
Now I work for Jaycar

stephenb (Stephen) · #15 03-05-2009, 07:40 AM

Electronics, technical qualification and mechanical background. I cannot recall any reason why my electronics [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Stephen/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-27.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Stephen/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-28.jpg[/IMG]pursuits sparked an interest in astronomy vise versa.

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #16 03-05-2009, 09:55 AM

Yep me too.

Electrical Technician.
Some electronics involved but not at component level.

I love technical specs and technology.

lacad01 (Adam) · #17 03-05-2009, 06:30 PM

Started out as an electrical fitter/mechanic. Studied Industrial Electronics post-trade but been working in IT last 20 years.

mswhin63 (Malcolm) · #18 04-05-2009, 12:12 AM

Hi, new to the forum and just starting in Astronomy. I am qualified electronics technician for 27 years. still doing component level work and tinking a bit with small time design. Component work has diminished though.