Happy New Year from the new guy!

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Kevin_Keyes
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:51 am
Real name: Kevin Keyes
Location: Colorado

Happy New Year from the new guy!

Post by Kevin_Keyes »

Greetings all! Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season and are looking forward to a great year.

I'll put the TLDR version first... Formerly: Navy Nuke. Currently: industrial robot service god. Here to satisfy my need to tinker and learn.

And if you're interested...

I've been lurking around here for a while and finally decided that I want to actually work up to a high end demo fusor. **EDIT** Will honestly consider pursuing fusion at some point. But one objective at a time! **/EDIT** The knowledge, craftsmanship, and community here seem to be wonderful, which is refreshing in a world full of trolls and fools!

A little about me... I joined the Navy right after high school. Recruiter suckered me into the nuclear power program, and I did the entire training pipeline in South Carolina. After that, I was stationed on the USS Nevada where I qualified up to Reactor Operator and Engineering Watch Supervisor. During my time on the Nevada, we underwent and extensive refuel/overhaul session at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Spent a lot of time straddling primary coolant valves while testing pressure and temperature instruments that year... My son was born green, so we named him Kermit. Haha, kidding! Anyway, after 9 years of the Navy I was up for Chief, but had no desire to be in charge of RC Div, so I got out and looked for other work.

I'd had enough of the nuclear power world, but found a job doing field service for a major industrial robotics company. I've been doing that for the last 5 years, and have delved into all sorts of different industrial processes during that time. Even stepped out of the field work for 9 moths to drive a desk as a Controls Engineer. Turned out I don't like typing code all day, so I took my old position again and haven't looked back since.

I'm a lifetime tinkerer, and habitual self-study fanatic. If I can figure out how to do something myself, then I never need to pay someone else to do it, right? Got my HAM technician license last year (W6VYW, if any of you are out there) and working towards getting my Extra class license. Recently certified as an Emergency Medical Responder, and will be taking a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class in about a month. I do all my own home and car repairs, and dabble in welding although I have not had time to master any method of it.

So yeah... I like keeping myself busy & challenged. I need a good project (well, series of projects in this case). I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with you all, and learning from you as well!
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Richard Hull
Moderator
Posts: 14991
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2001 9:44 am
Real name: Richard Hull

Re: Happy New Year from the new guy!

Post by Richard Hull »

Welcome to the group here. You have good life experiences behind you and also "the hands-on imperative". Thanks for joining us.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Bob Reite
Posts: 576
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:03 pm
Real name: Bob Reite
Location: Wilkes Barre/Scranton area

Re: Happy New Year from the new guy!

Post by Bob Reite »

W6VYW de WB6YYZ. I kept my CA call when I moved to PA Extra class here, and *not* an "appliance operator", fix my own gear.
The more reactive the materials, the more spectacular the failures.
The testing isn't over until the prototype is destroyed.
Kevin_Keyes
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:51 am
Real name: Kevin Keyes
Location: Colorado

Re: Happy New Year from the new guy!

Post by Kevin_Keyes »

Bob Reite wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 7:00 pm W6VYW de WB6YYZ. I kept my CA call when I moved to PA Extra class here, and *not* an "appliance operator", fix my own gear.
Pleasure to meet you sir! Haven't gotten to that level yet. I've mostly been using my license for simplex and repeater comms during outdoor activities.

I was assigned KE∅IRR when I got my license. Immediately applied for my great grandfather's old numbers, and will use them til the day I die.

73 and I'm sure we'll talk more!
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