SATCOM misconceptions

[anetrou]

ok, so I'm in the Army, right? I'm a SATCOM operator. I've already had my parents relay to me the wishes of some dozen of their friends who are interested in having me hook them up with free Satellite TV. *pulls hair out in gobs* Don't people get it?! These are military satellites! Not TV ones! STOP THE INSANITY! Besides, I'm in the desert. *shrug*

[nihil]

Well, the best you can do is to explain that satellite communications in the military context is "battlefield communications" so they wouldn't be able to get any of the channels they would want

[|3lack|ce]

SATCOM outside of military jargon is a television broadcasting sattelite. Satcom 5 was the last bird I looked at with a dish (way back in the days before full-encryption when sat-tv was more than just glorified cable, it was a way of screwing the system), but there are others I'm sure. Since this is the case, most of the 'old timers' who knew sattelite tv way back in the day are familiar with that term, but not its current military usage, hence their wanting you to hook them up.

[Boundless]

Originally posted here by nihil
Well, the best you can do is to explain that satellite communications in the military context is "battlefield communications" so they wouldn't be able to get any of the channels they would want

Not without paying extra for the "premium" channel package, deposited directly into anetrou's Paypal account.

[RoadClosed]

If you look within the force and can use a soldering iron. It can be done. Although they teach satweenies how to change circuit cards and send the bad one's back these days. Or change out a whole SIC (Statelite interface controller). Fun job though considering the other options.

[anetrou]

A Satweenie!? *aghast* In all fairness, I know there are many that work harder than me, and that we are no longer required to learn what we once used to (ie: it's now a swap-and-chunk deal with cards), but I'm on my way to learn more...(college) So gimmie an ounce of credit! I wanted something that would be useful outside of the military.

[nihil]

It is a good idea but there is a great deal of the "swap and chuck" mentality outside the military. Given the cost of components, it just isn't worth the time to try to repair stuff.

You see that with cheaper cameras and domestic appliances. They don't repair them they just send you a new one.

[anetrou]

I wish it wasn't like that, I really do, but that's how it is. I'd rather know how to fix the cards. Some of the equipment that surrounds me even now...has like 20 some-odd cards in each piece of equipment, and if 1 breaks, the card is swapped and chucked in the garbage.

[nihil]

I agree, but I do come from a generation before the "throwaway society"

The basic problem is that labour rates have risen and component prices have fallen to such an extent that they have produced a major shift in the "repair or replace" decision process.

The concern that I have is that if there is no demand for it, and people do not go out of the way to learn we will end up with another skill shortage. Take new product development for example, you are working on prototypes, so you can't just get another one?

Also you at least need to analyse why something failed, as you might have a design fault or component batch problem?

[ZomBieMann77]

I work at the tech bench for a major american retailer and I can safely say that since the store opened about 4 months ago I am the only technician to use our soldering iron. Kinda sad when you think about it. Hell I got funny looks when I got out a multi-tester.