Fathers day video D-Lab History What set my electronics path 

My Dad was in the army and was stationed in Munich Germany. Being an outdoors man, his interests were extremely limited by Germany's insane hunting and fishing rules. So, he got an fixer upper old radio to keep himself occupied. I was hooked. 1966. Upon return to the States, he got me a book. The 1956 ARRL handbook. BEST electronics book an 11 year old could have. Set my solid career path in electronics. It covered all the basics and had excellent theory for the layman. I have but one regret. I never had children. Dad is no longer here. I miss Dad very much. May you have the best father's day possible, Terry.

BRAVO! One of the most heartfelt examples of Fathers Day I've seen. 73

Great capture, you are OUR Hero too and we greatly appreciate your sharing..✔️

My dad was always building something when I was growing up. Either kits from Heathkit, or projects from the pages of Popular Electronics and Radio Electronics magazines. So I started helping. I studied electrical engineering, and because I loved music and was a musician, so I took those skills and got into the recording industry and made my living doing that for more than a decade. Now I still do that (among other things) but have been building recording equipment (preamps, EQs, compressors, etc...) for years, and I use them in the studio when I work. Dad was even a big influence with music because we always had a nice home hifi with components he had built, and with a few Macintosh pieces he got for free over the years and fixed (we also lived 90 mins from Binghampton, home of Macintosh). He was always playing cool music (except for the polkas!🙂) which influenced me greatly. We lost dad a year ago and today is hitting pretty hard. Happy Fathers Day everyone.

That was a motivating story, Terry. I started in July 1978, you Christmas 1978. Sorry about your dad, but mine still kicking. I was a professional Double Bassist for over Forty years. And I dived in repairing old tube amplifiers. I used a Marshall 68 plexi, and smoked it out. Bought a 75 super Bass, and smoked that out too. My Dad, great mathematician showed the ropes , he worked on military and brick laying. He got more shocks than I did back then, and he’d say that was normal. Today he respects the power of dc, after I’d showed him this video of yours. And he’s cracking up. Thanks, Terry. All the best from Ireland 👍🇮🇪

I remember that same thought when my Dad passed. Much of his knowledge went with him. Thank you for your service & happy fathers day.

My father got me interested in radio/electronics at an early age. Happy Father’s Day Terry and all the Dads out there!

My story is similar to yours. I got started down the electronics path by my neighbor, an engineer at Bell Labs. My first kit was a Knight Kit Star Roamer in 1967. I Joined the Navy in 1969, went through Electronics A and C schools, crypto repair school, etc. I served for 22 years, transferred to the Fleet Reserve in 1991, and was placed on the retired list in 1999.

Happy Father's Day, Terry. Heres to a heart full of love from the family, immediate and those consider you part of the extended.

Happy Father's Day! At an early age I had an interest in my father's working on the household radios and tv's, in the 60's. I would bring home discarded radios and tv's from trash days and fix them up. I also did repairs for neighbors. One day, at age 14 or so, I announced to my dad that I wanted to be a radio/tv repairman. To my shock, he said "Hell no! Slave trade!". Apparently he had some kind of a bad experience as a radio repairman working in the shops in the 1930's. I had always wondered where all the boxes and boxes of old tubes came from that were in the coal room in the basement. I took electronics shop in high school, but by my senior year, I started getting interested in computers. After graduation, I got a tech cert in computer repair, and worked in that trade for 30 years.

Electronics is just amazing! It doesn't make "common sense"--it's magic! My first Heathkit was a crystal radio set. It was always cool to think, "This thing just should not work!" I kept it by my bedside...so I would fall asleep at night listening to a pretty far away station, baseball mostly. And that youthful fascination with electronics has only matured!

Terry, as you, I to delve into electronics in 1955. I got lots of books from the Library, bought Popular Electronics, Radio Electronics and more. At the age of 9 in 1957, I started repairing TV's in my neighbor. I knew I had a knack for it. But knew I'd want to get into computers, even back then! Bought my first computer in 1976. Heathkit H-8. Then moved on to CP/M. And went from there into the Network industry. Worked for 3COM, Novel, Racal-Vadic and CIsco before I retired. -- In the Army I taught: 1) Basic Electronics, 2) HAM Radio, (had my license in 1984), 3) Telephone Systems and 4) Microwave Propagation... -- Now I restore old Heathkit Tube Test Equipment and old 30's to late 40's Tube Radio's.

Nice story , Terry. Happy Father's Day,,, I bet many watchers wish that you were their Dad.

Happy father's day to you Terry

Happy Father’s Day 2 days ago, I was born in 1969 and I had a fair amount of interest in electronics from 1978-1979, but in 1980 I got very serious about electronics, and I started to tinker around with 1930s tube radios to 1984 then started to learn about TVs and electronics repair and ran a side business in repairing consumer electronic goods and I continued to run it until 2003, when I retired from my side business because of digital technology and electronics being made in China, with TVs being digital devices which I have no interest to work on at all, I used to work on the analog electronics which I knew how to repair but not digital electronics. Happy Father’s Day to you 🎉keep up the good work.

Happy Fathers day even touhgh the Fathers Days here in Brazil is on 2nd Sunday of August.

Happy Father's Day Terry. Thank you for passing on the knowledge.

This video answers a lot of questions and is also a great story- installing car stereos, in the old days you had to be pretty crafty and skilled to say, even install an eight track player with two speakers Thank you for your service Terry and your YTubes

Happy Father's Day to Terry and all the dads here ... a great story, especially for the day! While watching your videos makes us smile individually, I bet your Dad looking down, smiles every time one of us clicks on one of your insightful videos!

Thank you for all of the great electronics education! Happy Father's day!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, My Papa!!

Happy Father's Day, Terry! Your path was similar to mine, though I had to learn it all myself because my father was not into electronics at all. Took electronics and computer courses in high school (early 1970s), then took an EET degree at MTU which was enough to get me a field engineering job repairing refrigerator-sized "minicomputers" on Wall Street. Eventually ended up overseas repairing some of the oldest mainframes left in the US military right down to component level because parts shipments took too long or spares no longer existed worldwide. Built R/C airplanes and rebuilt a few old Volkswagens in my time as well. Now I just repair things for fun. Definitely fun times!

Your a good guy Happy Fathers Day and thank you for serving our Country and the Air Force

Wow that is super cool Terry! Always interesting to learn someones Vocational school, and learning path! Your studies made you THE MAN! Thanks for your great PATH! Great Job! Tom

I sure am glad you did! The projects you present are more than instructional, they are entertaining. I have slipped with a probe and wiped an output and driver stage. You are so tedious in your approach that others may be spared that wonderful feeling. Even your presentations at electronics shows are light, humourous and fun to watch. Happy Father's day to you. One more thing. Most of us don't even consider how difficult it is to do everything while making a video. Thanks again.

Recall dear old dad almost every day. ❤🎉

Wow ! Thank you for sharing that heartfelt story and message. Happy father's day to you and God bless Terry.

In 1961 I was 6 years old, I stuck a paper clip in a wall socket. I knew there was more to life. At 15 I stuck my finger in the back of a champ , bang I was hooked and I never looked back. I became an electrician and as a hobby i build amplifiers. I'm more careful now. Happy Fathers Day.

Terry That’s awesome story on how it all started. I followed the same path and been very happy with my career. My son has also followed and now works in a electronics shop overseas for the Air Force and loves it. Happy Father’s Day

Thanks, Terry! Late happy Father's Day to you, sir!

Mine began when my aunt gave my brother and I a set of Knight Kit C-100 walk-in talkies. That was in 1964. 😀 Martin, WD9ABG

Happy Father's day Terry! Thank you for all the videos and for sharing your knowledge.

You the greatest Terry! Enjoy your Father’s Day my friend from Long Island

Congrats in your achievements.

Great story Terry! Always enjoy your knowledge sharing!

Thanks for sharing your path in life to where you are today. Happy Father's Day Terry.

I was also Air Force. I joined after high school, 1984. I went into aircraft maintenance. Now I am a controls engineer designing industrial control panels, and programming. I miss the air force days though. Thanks for sharing your story!

Thanks Terry for sharing your experience in electronics. Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱 ... and Happy father's day🎉

Hey Terry, how cool are you eh..Fab story of your path to D-Lab...Thank you for all your sharing mate..Happy Father's day... Ed..UK..😀

Happy Father's Day - great story! Darn you got me to tear up a bit - thanks for all you do

Interesting, I too had a similar start in my professional career. My dad was in the Navy during the Vietnam war. His job was electronics repairman. He left the service and repaired tv’s. I remember our garage was full of tv’s as a kid I would go with him to a hardware store where he would test tubes and get replacement tubes. He moved on from that once he was hired by the FAA where he had a 35 year career. I never got into repairing electronics like him but loved repairing mechanical things. Bicycles lawnmowers motorcycles and VW bugs. In 79 I joined the Navy took the Asvab. They were trying to steer me to become an electronics repairman but I found out I was color blind. I end up becoming a construction mechanic in the Seabees and never regretted it. Spent twenty years and retired. Love repairing mechanical stuff. Btw I have a 1959 Karmann Ghia convertible that’s my hobby now. Simplicity at its finest. Happy Fathers Day sir.

Happy belated Father's day Terry grate video thank you for all your knowledge take care.

Happy Father’s Day Terry! Excellent story.

Thanks Terry!! Can we also get some more silly videos where you have the lab coat and a smorgasbord of snacks?

Interesting story Terry,Thanks for sharing and Happy Father’s Day.

Happy Father's Day to you. I got my experience back then with Bell& how when I was a kid I've got older and lost a lot of eyesight but I know the hobby got my ham license and got an AM radio 73 Terry let me know when you got some free time w8dmx kevin Columbus Ohio 😊😊😊

I’m not an electronics person now, but as a preteen, I used to de-solder TV chassis’s for my grandfather. He would collect the components in clean baby food jars. He taught me how to read the values of resistors, capacitors, etc. He didn’t tell me about touching certain things, and one day I picked myself up off the floor after a big surprise.

A very similar story to my own Terry,joined the RAF ,became an electronics tech and now build and repair/repurpose guitar amps,a happy father`s day to you from Wales.

My dad had a side business of repairing TV antenna rotors in the late 50s and 60s. He encouraged me to get my ham radio license. Mom and Dad thought I should go to vocational school and learn to fix TVs. I wanted to design things and electrical engineering was the path I chose. You do a good job teaching and encouraging.

Thank you Terry! Happy Father's Day to you!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers day, Terry! 🥸

I remember back in Vandenberg Junior High School when we had dances on Friday night, one of the guys had a Heathkit TA-17 guitar amp. The one with the two twelve speaker cabinet and the amp head on top. I thought that was the greatest thing since sliced bread. And speaking of Minuteman missiles My dad was a First Sgt at Vandenberg and he arranged for me to have a tour of a working Minuteman silo with a nuclear warhead. The showed me how everything worked in the control room and all the safeguards in place to prevent an accidental launch. Pretty heady stuff for a twelve year old.

Happy Father's Day Terry. Thanks for sharing

Hi Terry, Happy Father's Day to you too!

awesome video thanks for sharing

Happy Father’s Day, Terry !

That's a very neat story. Happy Father's day Terry !

Nice history! Thanks for sharing. Your a cool dude Terry.

Well Done Terry in your explanation. It is important to pass the knowledge to the next person as you said. In this case your videos for us to learn. Cheers!

Happy Fathers Day to you. Stay Happy

Fantastic. Happy Father Day Terry.

Thanks for sharing! My dad was always working on cars and I got my love of fixing things from him.

Happy Fathers Day

Very nice story! Happy Father's Day to all!

Terry, Thanks for telling your story. Very interesting. Happy Father's Day. From Alan WA2EGA.

Great story - Happy Father's Day !

Much respect to you Mr Dayton, similar story to mine except I became a Boilermaker, burning the candle at both ends I also had a Amp Repair shop at my friends band rehearsal studios and would work there at night!

Cool video. I got inspired Christmas 1968. I got a 50 in 1 electronics kit from Radio Shack for a gift. What hooked me was everything I knew electrical had 2 wire connections. Batteries, bulbs, motors, switches, solenoids, relays, etc. What intrigued me was the dang transistors in the kit. I just needed to know and understand what that damn third lead on the transistor was for. That simple question set me on my path of learning that became a life long passion of electrical and electronics field. Went to school for Electrical Engineering then worked in the telephony industry and retired. In retirement I make a few bucks here and there repairing whatever folks trust me with trying to repair. Thanx for sharing and adding to my electronics portfolio of knowledge. Also after retirement your videos and several other RU-vidrs have converted my general basic understanding of tube tech into a solid working knowledge of them to repairing various vintage tube amps, radios, HiFis and jukeboxes. Happy Father's Day to you.

Happy Father's day!

Happy Father's Day Terry! Thank you for passing on the Knowledge and Inspiration!!!

Happy Fathers day Terry! Gr8 to hear these stories!

Great story Terry , Happy Father's Day ...

Happy father’с day Terry!

Great background Terry! I really love your videos. I finally got into electronics after I retired. I regret not having pursued it as a teenager. I mostly confine myself to kits and somebody else's designs. But I'm on my 17th and 18th builds. Currently building a First Watt F4 clone and a pair of CSS Criton TD-X speakers.

cool history hugs from denmark

Happy Fathers Day Terry!

Excellent story and tribute. 73 de N1IMS

Happy fathers Day D-lab.

Wonderful story.

nice story. thanks for sharing.

Great testimony. It is a lost art. Love your channel

Happy father's day Terry! You're so right about passing the knowledge on. My Dad worked as an auto mechanic and was an avid do it yourselfer. I also became a mechanic and do it yourselfer. I can't name the number of things I learned from him from the mechanics to home remodeling/repair to basic electronics. I have also learned a lot more about electronics from watching your channel the last few years. My sons are 21 and 16 now and I've tried to pass along at least some of my knowledge to them.

Very much appreciative, Terry! I can relate to your story as my machinist path started at 14 and I'm still at it 38 years later. But at 14 electronics sparked an interest also, and since I went to a vocational high school I explored both classes and at 14 electronics flew way over my head, and since my father was a machinist he must of passed that knowledge onto me. But with the help of youtube and good people, like yourself, I have an understanding of electronics repair and can do my own amp work. Thanks a bunch!

HI Terry, thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! Not every tech knows how to teach but you're sure one good teacher in delivering your knowledge, your explanation is very clear and easy to follow, looking forward for your video in the future!

Great story and attitude towards all of this craziness most of us call a hobby. And great information for those of us just getting started. I am newly retired, and with help of your channel and so many other good ones, I am on my way...already refurbished a couple of AA5 radios and two RCA 45 record players--great fun. Happy Father's Day and continued success with your endeavors.

We love you, man!

Great story Terry. 73, Martin

Thank you for this very important video.

Nice message there, and very true......

Great video Terry, thanks for sharing!

Nice story sir....

Somehow I knew that Heath Kit would be part of the story.

Wonderful to hear your story .

Nice video. I'm guessing I'm a couple years older and I followed a similar path. I initially started by buying broken TV's at garage sales and finding the bad tubes using the tube tester at the local drug store. I made good money doing this and used the funds to buy heathkits. The shortwave I built was the ultimate. I also took a basic electronics class at a vocational school in high school. I also dove into car electronics and earned decent money at that. I also joined the military at 17! I went into the Navy Advanced Electronics program and specialized in surface-search and air-search radars. Sure are a lot of "also's"! I'm retired now but still work on guitar amps for friends ... just did a Acoustic s.s. base amp and a Fender Bandmaster Reverb. The Fender Reverb had noise issues which led to me finding your RU-vid channel. The video you made helped me find a solder failure at a ground point so thanks for that. Sharing your knowledge is a class act and I wish you well.

Happy Father’s Day! I studied electronics and can say your channel is Excellent!

Thanks! D-Lab

Great commentary, Terry!

Great story Terry, thanks for sharing that with us.

Hi Terry, Happy Father’s Day and thank you for your very generous sharing of electronics knowledge over the years and great story about your dad. You are correct, if knowledge is not passed forward, it may well, tragically, be lost, ‘paying it forward’ is how we all progress. If I may; ‘those who can, do; those who can do MORE, teach!’. Clearly, you do MORE. Thanks again, Ken