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 5 y ago
Responses: 15
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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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One of the great things I got was a complete set of an American Flyer electric train and track layout, transformer with locomotive, freight cars and caboose. My Dad had it all set up and the tracks attached on a piece of Plywood for Christmas morning. I still have that complete train set and even the original box it came in and it still works fine .
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One of my Uncle's get me a radio controlled car. Still have it to this day.
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I bought a heathkit computer back in 1977 that used a cassette player as a hard drive. I learb=ned tpo program it to play computer tennis and ping pong. I wish I still had it it.
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It was a three foot polar bear. There was barely any room for me on the bed because I insisted on having the bear with me under the covers.
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Nintendo with the 3 game cassette...Super Mario Bros, Duck Hint, and Track Meet amd also ot Contra and Zelda, the Adventure of Link (still have them). Had to use the high tech coax cable to antenna adapter so it would work on our TV. Fired it up, and spent the next few hours watching my father play Duck Hunt before I even got to play. Nothing worse for a kid that just got a game system than to open it with great joy only to be unable to use it right away. Dad had fun though.
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Great share, I had a meager upbringing so gifts were few. I’m glad that you were so blessed to receive a life changing gift.
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