I am an electronics geek.
My dad was an Electronics Engineer. He worked for Hughes Aircraft in their satellite division. During the Apollo missions, he worked for NASA as a contractor through Bendix Field Engineering. Later, he worked for a few small companies in R & D, eventually retiring from Hewlett-Packard.
In high school, I studied all of his college textbooks and was captivated. Since I already had an understanding of basic electron theory, I focused on Computer Science. I studied programming languages, like FORTRAN, COBOL, Basic, and Pascal. By the time I had finished one class, a new language was being developed that made my education obsolete. I changed my major from Computer Science to Electronic Technology and began to focus on hardware. I took a three-year course in Robotics & Industrial Controls, then another course in Systems Analysis & Design. I enjoyed all of it, had a workbench in my garage where I tinkered with circuits controlled at binary- or hex-level.
When I left the military, I landed a job installing security and fire alarm systems. With my background, that expanded to every kind of electronic system from video surveillance and card access systems, to telephone/intercom, nurse-call systems, commercial sound systems (auditoriums, theaters, churches, etc.), and master clocks like those used in schools.
I grew up learning about discrete components like resistors, capacitors, and diodes. Later, I learned about IC boards and chips. Now, entire computer systems are integrated into a single chip. I still understand how it all works, but my skillset is mostly obsolete. Most chips are replaced, not repaired.
Sometimes, my dad and I will have an idea and design a circuit for the purpose. Where is Radio Shack when you need components? But then a quick internet search will reveal that someone has already made a prototype, and you can buy the whole project online.
I don't do much of that anymore, but I do enjoy it.
