A good friend od us (MD) recommends her grandsons not to select a technical profession. The years to achieve a good income are too limited. Sadly, I have to agree.

Hi Jack, I am a long time subscriber and enjoy the rag. Sadly, its seems much of our engineering talent (in all fields) is in the "greying" regime. I have spent 30 years in the Defense microwaves segment and loved it, but have moved on to teaching and running the RF labs at a University (where we have a 21 meter dish for radio astronomy and satellite work). The money isn't the same(money isnt everything, right?!), but the work is very satisfying, helping to introduce students to hardware and tinkering, bench work and really making things with their hands. More of our senior people should consider this, instead of "retiring", move into the teaching area, particularly lab classes. I find excellent manual RF equipment available for cheap these days (eBay, etc.), and have built a nice lab here on a shoestring. I find my "war stories" of the so called "real" world and my career do quite a bit to excite and enthuse students, with some of them actually taking RF careers. I have grads at Collins, Broadcast Sports, WJ, and other places. While you wont catch all of them, its great to catch a few! Also, I am a microwave range Ham operator, and have encouraged six (so far) students to get their ham tickets, another RF path that hepls to build and maintain interest, plus a great "network" for newbies. So think about this, fellows, as you wonder about the next step in life after the job will be.... 73 Jeff Kruth WA3ZKR Space Science Center Morehead State University Morehead, KY

I see most of the new engineers focussed on sitting in the cubicle and preferring computer based activities. It is a great find these days when you get an engineer who will venture into the lab. A lab based engineer, I believe still has a good career path if he balances hands-on lab skills with computer skills.

I attended an MTTS symposium for my first time in 1989 when Tektronix introduced the 2782 spectrum analyzer. At that time I thought the group of attendees could be described as older, mature, even gray. Now, 19 years later, I'm wondering if the average age is really that much different? It is easier to notice that of the presentations I went to, North-American and European presenters are fewer, and Asian presenters are more numerous.

What you end up actually doing creates or destroys any attraction. For making things, fixing problems, learning, being technically challenged, or making 'good stuff', the last decades 'engineering' jobs have turned pretty sour. Micro-managed, stretched to cover support tasks growing with layoffs to 'increase productivity', too few non-mundane assignments or opportunities, and a personal favorite "your employment may be terminated at any time at the company's descretion." Who can recommend a technical job these days to anyone with values.

RF and microwaves are not industries but technologies. Industries are the applications such as 1) Microwave radio (almost replaced by fiber optics) 2) Satellite, 3) Radar and defense, 4) Cell phones (almost cook book design) 5) Location and tracking (RFiD) 6) Medical 7) TV Broadcast (migrating to cable TV)

Industries/applications create the jobs and the life cycle of the industry determines the level of innovation.

Microwaves, RF, field theory, optics are all technically interesting but students are right to look out for the jobs and opportunities to grow.

I recommmend new students in all specialities look for opportunities in medical devices and instruments, not follow me into microwave radio and RF.

Dream, Design, Market, Sell; not just dream.

Jack, Not only is the RF/microwave industry seeing this but this is the same situation in the analog and hardware test and design areas. Schools find labs expensive to keep current so the undergraduate are reluctant to into an area where wires, connector, and plumbing are a part of the engineering experience. I blame it on our own success. The CAD industry has force many segments of engineering into a simulate/cookbook arena. RF and microwave is hands-on and our schools are loosing sight of this.

We grew up putting thing together and have realized that it takes more than a paper design to make somethings work.

I have been an optoelectronic applications engineer for 35years and I have seen a stready decline in the hands on in addition to basic analysis. The both have to work together, they are essential for RF and microwave design.

Bob Krause , Optoelectronic Application Engr Mgr, Fairchild Semiconductor, San Jose, CA