October 2004 - International Society of Certified Electronics

ProService
A Journal of NESDA
NESDA and ISCET • October 2004
Magazine
www.nesda.com
www.nesda.com • www.iscet.org
www.iscet.org
2004 CE Industry Growth Rate Doubles Earlier
Projection – Page 3
Best Ideas Contest From NPSC 2004 –
Page 5-6
Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita Agree to
Establish a TV LCD Panel Joint Venture –
Page 7
LG Electronics Subsidiary Licenses Reception
Technology to Toshiba – Page 9
ISCET Job Target – Page 13
Complete Listing of Contents on Page 2
www.nesda.com
www.iscet.org
An official journal of NESDA
(National Electronics Service
Dealers Association), and ISCET
(International Society of Certified
Electronics Technicians)
Purpose
ProService Magazine, a publication for members of NESDA and ISCET,
is produced by NESDA, the National
Electronics Service Dealers Association,
3608 Pershing Ave., Fort Worth, TX
76107. It is intended for the enlightenment, education and entertainment of
the members of NESDA and ISCET.
With the exception of official
announcements, the statements and
opinions expressed herein are those of
the authors and not necessarily those of
the associations.
Unless otherwise clearly indicated,
neither NESDA nor ISCET endorses any
company, product or service appearing
in any article in this publication.
Business and Editorial Offices
3608 Pershing Ave., Fort Worth, TX
76107-4527; 817-921-9061;
Fax 817-921-3741;
www.nesda.com; www.iscet.org
Executive Director: Mack Blakely
Director of Communications:
Sheila Fredrickson
Email: sheila@nesda.com
Associate Editor/Production:
Stephanie Miller
Email: stephanie@nesda.com
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 by NESDA,
Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any
means without written permission from
NESDA.
PAGE 2 –
October 2004
What’s Inside:
Table of Contents
2004 CE Industry Growth Rate Doubles Earlier Projection – Up 8.1% . .3
Samsung Electronics Unveils the First Mobile Phone With Hard Drive . .4
Intel Discloses Key Emerging WiMAX Silicon Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Best Ideas Contest from NPSC 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-6
Panasonic Introduces First DVD Recorder With Electronic
Program Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita Agree to Establish a TV LCD Panel Joint
Venture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
New NESDA Members 8/7/2004 to 9/29/2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Prospects Improve For Hiring of Non-IE Electronics Technicians . . . . . .8
Nokia Ships One Million N-Gage Game Decks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
LG Electronics Subsidiary Licenses Reception Technology to Toshiba . . .9
Member Information Updates Needed for 2005 ProService Directory &
Yearbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Can We Talk? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 13
Skills USA Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Q & A From NESDAnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Computer Tip: Free Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Job Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Viewing the Passing Parade: ISCET News and Views . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Meet the NESDA Member: Doug Freeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
ISCET President's Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Top 10 Certification Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
New Associates & CET's 8/11/2004 to 10/01/2004 . . . . . . . . . .19, 20
Index of Advertisers
AYS Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
PTS Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
MCM Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Liquidation.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Electronix Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Tritronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover
Upcoming Events
National Professional Service
Convention and Professional
Service Trade Show (NPSC) 2005
July 26-30, 2005
The Rosen Centre
Orlando, FL
www.nesda.com
If you would like your event listed
in this section, please contact
stephanie@nesda.com or call
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9061 ext.13.
ATTENTION READERS:
ProService Magazine is now
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publication that will be found
only at www.nesda.com,
except for the June and
August issues.
2004 CE INDUSTRY GROWTH RATE DOUBLES EARLIER PROJECTION – UP 8.1%
CE Industry Sales of $100 Billion in 2003
Jump to $108 Billion in 2004
According to revised figures released
September 7, 2004 by the Consumer
Electronics Association (CEA), sales of
consumer electronics products exceeded
$100 billion in 2003, setting a new record
and marking a fourfold increase over the
2002 growth rate. CEA forecasts 2004 sales
to surpass $108 billion, breaking the record
mark set in 2003.
"Consumer demand for digital products
continues to drive consumer electronics
sales beyond our earlier projections," said
Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA.
"Consumer enthusiasm going into the fourth
quarter of 2003 further catapulted overall
sales. Across the board, consumer electronics sales exceeded projections as consumers
saw the right prices at the right time. Even
as we celebrate record sales in 2003, we
expect that 2004 will be an even bigger year
as our growth rate continues to climb."
Almost every product category performed better than anticipated in 2003 by
$100 million to $200 million, according to
CEA's new figures. Manufacturer-to-dealer
sales of personal computers (PCs) and digital televisions (DTV) stood as two of the
main categories driving final 2003 figures
above CEA's original forecast of $96.3 billion. PCs held strong as the largest single
product category with sales exceeding $15
billion, as home information products
remained the biggest consumer electronics
sector with sales over $38 million in 2003.
Added Sean Wargo, senior industry
analyst for CEA, "Huge numbers of flat
panel and rear projection DTV sets were
sold last year. In fact, sales of just flat panel
TVs topped $2 billion, and the numbers will
continue to increase in 2004."
Wargo explained wireless phones also
contributed to strong overall sales in 2003.
Sales of wireless phones were over $9 billion and they are expected to top $10 billion
by the end of 2004.
Sales of digital products will again take
the industry to new heights in 2004, noted
Wargo.
"MP3 and DTV will help drive 2004
sales to a record estimated $108 billion.
Total TV revenues (analog and digital combined) are expected to rise 17% this year to
$13.6 billion, marking the biggest invoiced
total for TVs in history."
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PAGE 3 –
October 2004
Samsung Electronics Unveils the First Mobile Phone With Hard Drive
• A Tiny 1.5GB Hard Drive in the Phone Expands
Memory Capacity in the SPH-V5400.
• The Phone Makes its Debut at ITU Telecom Asia
2004 in Busan.
BUSAN, Korea - September 7, 2004 –
Samsung Electronics unveiled the firstever mobile phone (model: SPH-V5400)
with an internal hard disc drive. The company's latest innovation, which also comes
with a mega-pixel camera, is currently being
exhibited at the ITU Telecom Asia 2004
from September 6 to 11 at the Busan
Exhibition and Conference Center
(BEXCO).
The V5400 is equipped with a 1-inch
diagonal, 1.5GB hard disc drive that greatly
expands the memory capacity of mobile
phones from the conventional 100MB maximum capacity. In addition, the phone boasts
a high-resolution (QVGA) 2.2-inch liquid
crystal display and includes features, such
as MP3 player, electronic book and KoreanEnglish/English-Korean dictionaries.
A powerful microphone enhances the
camcorder function, while dual speakers
provide a 3D sound effect. The breakthrough product will be available for
Korean consumers in mid-September.
Intel Discloses Key Emerging WiMAX Silicon Plans
WiMAX Products Will Enable Long-Distance,
High-Speed Wireless Internet Access for
Homes & Businesses
INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San
Francisco, Sept. 7, 2004 –
Intel Corporation today disclosed key
technical details of its upcoming wireless
broadband chip for WiMAX products,
which will enable long-distance, high-speed
wireless Internet access for homes and businesses.
The upcoming wireless component,
code named "Rosedale," is expected to be
the first "system-on-a-chip" design for costeffective customer premise equipment
(CPE) that supports IEEE 802.16-2004 (pre-
PAGE 4 –
October 2004
viously known as IEEE 802.16REVd).
CPEs are placed at a home or business to
transmit and receive a wireless broadband
signal providing Internet connectivity. IEEE
802.16-2004, also known as WiMAX, is an
emerging wireless standard that promises to
provide broadband connectivity at DSL
speeds across long distances.
Intel has begun sending sample
Rosedale product to key customers.
"High-speed DSL and cable broadband
access are only available to a fraction of
computer users globally," said Scott
Richardson, general manager of Intel's
Broadband Wireless Group. "WiMAX will
make it possible to build cost-effective,
high-speed wireless connections to homes
and businesses be they in urban or rural
environments. Intel has focused its WiMAX
development efforts on making it easier and
more cost effective for the next generation
of computer users to wirelessly access the
high-speed Internet."
The new Rosedale chip was designed
with a high level of integration, in an effort
to streamline the design process and reduce
the cost of customer premise gear. Rosedale
will include the 802.16-2004 MAC and
OFDM PHY, an integrated 10/100 MAC,
inline security processing and a TDM controller interface which enables applications
such as broadband Internet streaming data
and voice. Integration of these features
reduces the size of the electronics since
there are fewer chips required, and speeds
validation and testing of the device, allowing system designers to develop CPEs more
quickly and easily. Lowering CPE costs
makes it more affordable for business and
residential users to adopt WiMAX, driving
broader adoption.
The Rosedale wireless broadband interface will support the newly ratified IEEE
802.16-2004 standard, which will make it
easier for carriers and end-users to select
equipment from different vendors. WiMAX
Forum, an industry group chartered to test
and certify interoperability among WiMAX
products, is expected to hold initial interoperability testing and certification programs
in 2005.
In addition to sampling Rosedale to key
customers, Intel continues to work with carriers and equipment manufacturers worldwide on early trials.
Best Ideas Contest from NPSC 2004
drawing and when the client gets home, you
know what diagram they are looking at if
they continue to ask hook-up questions.
8 – Have small blank wire labels on the
truck to apply to cables as you disconnect
some component from a complex home theater system.
9 – Buy pre-printed dual number labels. 1-1
2-2 etc. These are available at electronic
centers, and can be used to identify connecting cables to rear chassis connectors.
10 – When purchasing a new pick-up delivery van it was suggested to try a Freightliner
Cargo Van. These are taller and easier to
load than a regular van, also low in rear.
Some Diesel models use the Mercedes
engine and come with a 100,000 mile warranty.
(Above): Sam Sieben CET/CSM (left) of Seattle, WA shares and idea with the group which was
moderated by Gerry McCann CET/CSM/EHF (right).
The Best Ideas Contest is a sixty minute
idea sharing session at NPSC moderated
by Gerry McCann CET/CSM/EHF. The
following 38 ideas in this article are the
result of this session.
4 – Turn a work table upside down. Use
padding on what is the underside of the top,
use the legs, which are now sticking up, as a
prop for the plasma screen. To avoid
scratching, wrap the legs in foam rubber
packing material.
1 – Build a good Plasma TV work jig.
Make it out of plywood using 2 4X4 plates
of 3/4" press board constructed like an easel,
covered with carpet for cushioning.
Technician can work on and walk around it.
Heavy duty casters, hooks and thin bungee
cords are used for stabilizing. Overall work
table size 33"X 60".
5 –
Pictures of inlaid lifts with angle
mounts as Plasma screen holders were
passed around. Pictures of work areas constructed with multiple in-floor lifts and
modern material handling equipment for big
screen products were shared.
2 – Another Plasma work jig suggestion is
constructed of yellow pine - three 2X4's cut
at a 90 degree angle, with brackets. Foam
that comes in screen UPS packages (No
Cost ) is adjustable to any size for padding
and protection.
6 – Work bench lifts for PTV: use motorcycle jacks bolted to the floor. Projector
TVs can be remain on the 30" X 5 ft. tables,
rolled onto and set above the jack and
clamps. These units are hydraulic, so no lifting by the technicians is involved. Each
tech has two setups. More pictures were
passed around.
3 – To handle plasmas on benches against
mirrored wall, install 1x1 boards at 70
degree top angle at slant at bottom. Wrap
bottom board with plastic wrap. 1x1's can be
used sideways. The weight of the unit will
hold it down.
7 –
Purchase large blank paper labels.
Imprint these with common hook-up diagrams for customers. Apply the label to
back of the repair invoice if any concern for
correct use instructions are involved. Prepreparing a series of labels saves time in
11 – When repairing an electronics board
set with minor fluid damage, it was suggested Ace Hardware carries a tiny drill bit that
looks like a pencil. If you pierce the feed
through rivets and re-flow solder, the fresh
connection will become solid.
12 – Target sells a microfiber cloth, works
very well as a PTV screen cleaner, with no
chemicals involved. They come 8 or 9 to the
pack, and are better than the ones in a larger
yellow cloth pack found at Sam's Club.
(This hint came from the original ElCheapo,
so the Target cloths must also be very inexpensive.)
13 – On each invoice, a Service supply fee
was suggested. $6.00 was suggested on
COD's with no complaints from clients in
the last 5-6 years. They plan to go to $10 in
the near future, as costs have risen. This is
designed to cover some of the escalating
chemical supply costs.
14 – An EPA charge was suggested for use
of chemicals. A short discussion of the
proper use of environmental protection terminology ensued.
(Continued on Page 6)
PAGE 5 –
October 2004
Best Ideas Contest from NPSC 2004 – CONTINUED
15 – It was suggested to closely watch verbiage on client's invoices. Some local taxes
come into play as parts and services are
applied to usage and sales taxes. This suggestion seemed to come from the wisdom of
experience.
16 – How to achieve great service? Simple:
put yourself in customer's place. Then treat
them as you would like to be treated.
17 – Suggested for future Best Idea
Contests: Bring up a problem, then go
around the room and ask for solutions, for
instance keeping small fasteners together
while a product is apart under technical
study.
18 – It was suggested to use small plastic
bags for screws, putting the work order # on
the bag.
19 – Use the plastic caps from the freeze
spray cans to collect the screws, then put
them in bags.
20 – Use separate zip-lock bags marking
them for what part of the set the screws
came from.
$450 initial cost per truck for the GPS system then $30 a month charge. Went from 8
to 10 service calls a day per road tech.
screen during bench inspection. (The pictures and the descriptions were presented
during the session.)
26 – If you have a small operation and can't
be in the back and front of the service center at the same time, use a motion detector to
signal when someone comes in the door.
This can easily be wired to a buzzer.
33 – Mail and hand out your own customer
satisfaction survey. Audit and check your
response with the ones you receive back
from the manufacturer every month.
27 – To clean under the close-to-surface
components on a wet or soiled circuit board
under repair use a solution of glass cleaner
in a "Water Pik". The pressure drives out the
dirt and loose materials avoiding future
improper conductive paths. The small
focused pressure of the water pik makes the
task much easier.
28 – Magnetic stock for business cards was
suggested to make it handy for the client to
keep your name in view. These stick to a
refrigerator or a metal file cabinet. Always
hand out at least two business cards of any
type, so the client can pass the second card
to a friend.
21 – Use small part bins in boxes to track
screws.
29 – You can print and use different cards
for different areas. Many clients like to do
business with firms that are close by. Use
different phone numbers with a forwarding
system if it makes business sense.
22 – Get a magnetic ashtray to store screws.
MCM or Harbor Freight carries these. Or
use a regular plastic ash tray and glue an old
magnet to the bottom of it.
30 – Make up a jingle that rhymes with
your company name, to use in all your
advertisements. If it's short, also insert it in
the print ads.
23 – Use the magnets from an old magnetron on the work bench to hold screws.
Since these are round with a hole in the center, they can also be stored on a string and
used to pick up screws that drop to the floor.
31 – Look for the May issue of "The Word"
for the featured Chevy express field service
vehicle. The truck has side access and a 3X3
ft. opening great for a 1 man service vehicle.
Or go to www.inhometvs.com. This unit
carries about $25,000 rolling stock, all readily available because of the construction and
best use of the vehicle.
24 – Use a marker to section off magnetic
ash tray for different size screws.
25 – Use a GPS (Global Positioning
System) system to track technician's trucks.
PAGE 6 –
October 2004
32 – Is your service operating room too
bright to see a light box image? An older
Toshiba trapezoid cabinet was described as
being used to capture the image onto a
34 – Use the post office return system for
the QOS reply responses. That way you
only pay for the responses mailed back in to
you. Including a stamp on the returns card
is too expensive.
35 – Transportation of PTV's was a problem solved here. A description was given of
a customized service van. 22 ft. Chevy van
with a lift gate added on (1 ½ ton ). The
interior was customized with fixed shelves.
A ladder rack was also added to the top
inside. Right side interior has tie down
grips. They described plywood sections
with cords and blankets to separate and protect the equipment in transit.
36 – To remove glued stickers on about
anything, use lighter fluid.
37 – A variable temperature commercial
hair dryer (hot air blower) was also recommended to remove stickers and some glue
labels from porous materials where lighter
fluid may soak in.
38 – A continuously running, calming,
Powerpoint presentation designed to both
entertain and distract clients waiting at a
service counter was explained and samples
shown. Designed to be shown on a large
screen or Plasma display, it repeats every
twelve minutes.
The idea receiving the most vote was # 25;
#27 came in second. Multiple comments
were made about the value of the service
center and work area pictures that were
generously passed around during this session.
Panasonic Introduces First DVD Recorder With Electronic Program Guide
The Built-in 80GB Hard Drive Can Record Up To
142 Hours
SECAUCUS, NJ (August 17, 2004) Panasonic's new recordable DVD home
theater system lets consumers enjoy the latest audio and video technologies with one
convenient, high-performance package.
The system completes the home theater
experience, whether it's listening to music
on CDs and DVD-Audio discs, watching the
latest blockbuster movies on DVD, or
recording favorite TV programs. The unit's
DVD recorder offers multi-format playback
(DVD video, DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM,
DVD-R1, CD, CD-R/RW2 and MP3).
New model SC-HT1500 will be available this month. It will have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $999.95.
The power of recordable DVD enables
users to record TV programs or home videos
onto DVD-RAM and DVD-R discs, as well
as onto the unit's 80GB hard disk drive ¾ up
to 142 hours in the EP3 mode. Users can
also transfer recordings from a camcorder or
digital still camera onto DVD-R or DVD-
RAM discs, preserving precious family
videos and photos.
The DVD-RAM format also allows for
simultaneous playback and recording and
the ultimate in time-shifting capability.
Users can record one program while watching another live or recorded program, or
watch a live TV program in progress from
the beginning while continuing to record the
show until the end. The unit's built-in electronic program guide function (EPG) provides users with access to TV listings ¾ displayed right on the television screen.
Buyers can choose from 12 different
acoustic effect modes to recreate the ambience that best complements the audio
source.
Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita Agree to Establish a TV LCD Panel Joint Venture
TOKYO, JAPAN (August 31, 2004) Hitachi, Ltd., Toshiba Corporation (and
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
reached a basic agreement on August 31,
2004 to jointly establish a company (the
"JV") to manufacture and sell LCD panels
for flat-panel TVs. Plans call for the joint
venture to commence operations in January
2005.
The JV will build an amorphous TFT
LCD panel production line at the Mobara
facility of Hitachi Displays, Ltd. ("Hitachi
Displays"), Hitachi's wholly owned subsidiary. Scheduled to begin mass production
in the second quarter of the year ending
March 31, 2007 (fiscal 2006), the JV will
expand production capacity in stages, ultimately reaching the equivalent of 2.5 million 32-inch TV LCD panels a year by the
second half of fiscal 2008. The expected
capital investment for establishing this facility is 110.0 billion yen. While Hitachi
Displays, Toshiba and Matsushita own
majority shares, the JV plans to solicit
investments from other companies involved
in the manufacture of LCD panels, including device makers and material suppliers.
Sales are growing for flat-panel TVs,
which combine a high-quality picture and
large screen with a space-saving profile.
Worldwide demand for LCD TVs was
approximately 3.0 million units in 2003 and
is estimated to expand fivefold by 2006.
Furthermore, in order to meet increasing
consumer demand for high-definition picture quality, TV manufacturers targeting the
high-end market segment seek to differentiate their products not just with proprietary
image processing technologies, but also by
using LCD panels with outstanding picture
quality. Reflecting this, mergers and acquisitions and strategic alliances in the LCD
panel field, along with other developments
in the industry, are resulting in fierce competition worldwide, fueling a growing need
for TV manufacturers to ensure a stable supply of high-quality panels at low prices.
Against this backdrop, Hitachi, Toshiba
and Matsushita have decided to establish a
JV to manufacture LCD panels using
Hitachi Displays' world-leading IPS mode
system technology. Boasting a wide viewing
angle and outstanding color reproduction,
these panels bring out the best in high-resolution content, such as digital TV broadcasts. The JV will provide the three companies with a reliable supply of LCD panels
that are ideal for TVs and that will bolster
the competitiveness of their respective LCD
TV businesses in the high-end market. The
JV, with Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita as
its major customers, will operate a stable,
capital-efficient production line mass producing IPS-mode LCD panels, which pro-
vide outstanding picture quality at lower
cost. Close collaboration with the JV is
expected to achieve synergies in Hitachi,
Toshiba and Matsushita's respective production of finished products, allowing them to
achieve LCD TVs that are even more competitive in terms of performance and price.
IPS Mode System Technology
In-Plane-Switching (IPS) mode system, is a
type of TFT LCD display technology. IPS is
distinguished by a wide 170-degree viewing
angle, both horizontally and vertically,
along with minimal gray-scale inversion
and viewing-angle dependency, reproducing
lifelike images, which is made possible
because the liquid crystal molecules can
rotate while remaining parallel to the substrate when a voltage is applied, yielding
perfect orientation of the crystals. The
advanced super (AS) -IPS mode system for
use in televisions, large-screen monitors and
other applications achieves an approximate
30% improvement in the aperture ratio over
conventional IPS technology. Furthermore,
AS-IPS realizes a higher level of brightness
and reproduces colors more realistically
thanks to high-purity color filters and other
proprietary technologies.
PAGE 7 –
October 2004
New NESDA Members from 8/7/2004 to 9/29/2004
Andrew Cates
Andy's Electronics
PO Box N1655
Nassau, BA
(212) 394-0820 ; Fax : (242) 394-0816
007@bahamas.net.bs
Taft Haynes
ABC TV & Computer Repair
1106 Valley View Circle
Bloomington, IL 61704
(309) 827-0310
taftdhaynes@verizon.net
Bob Oetjens
I.A. Electronics
2420 East 55th Pl
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 253-0935 ; Fax : (317) 253-5079
iae@sbcglobal.net
David Cornell
DAC Electronics Repair
4514 North Ella Road
Spokane, WA 99212
(509) 482-4247
dacrepair@aol.com
Russel Horne
Rusty's TV
23 Somerset Road
Mashpee, MA 02649
(508) 477-5091 ; Fax : (508) 539-6747
roomies3trd@aol.com
Mike Petraglia
Atlas Audio Repair
4753 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
(412) 681-2092
atlasaudiorepair@aol.com
Don Dunkel
Darrel's Video City
811 8th Street
Marion, IA 52302
(319) 377-5621 ; Fax : (319) 377-2779
darrels@mcleodusa.net
Susan Jafari
ProVideo
709 S. Business Hwy. 65
Branson, MO 65616
(417) 334-1090 ; Fax : (417) 334-3934
safarisue22@yahoo.com
Mark Treadwell
CRIS Camera Services
250 North 54th St
Chandler, AZ 85226-2423
(480) 940-1103 ; Fax : (480) 940-1329
cris@criscam.com
James Elliott
Elliott's Electronics
1241 Crows Nest Ct.
Annapolis, MD 21403
(410) 268-0787 ; Fax : (410) 268-0622
tvman1241@comcast.net
Lorena McKenzie
Accurate Video, Inc.
8949 De Soto Avenue
Canoga Park, CA 91204
(818) 773-9833 ; Fax : (818) 773-9837
accuratevideo@sbcglobal.net
David Wallace
Dave's TV
1227 North Baker Street
McMinnville, OR 97128
(503) 472-7814 ; Fax : (503) 472-7815
davestv@viclink.com
Omar Garltic
TruTech Electronics
3000 Flo-Lor Drive
Youngstown, OH 44511
(330) 792-7327
dish214@msn.com
Roger Money
Abbeville Electronics
419 Ozark Road
Abbeville, AL 36310
(334) 585-5567 ; Fax : (334) 696-2008
ramoney@gte.net
Prospects Improve For Hiring of Non-IE Electronics Technicians
by ISCET Staff Writer
According to a news release issued by
DeVry University, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, a
survey of 1,200 employers across the country, in a diverse range of industries indicated
that 81% said they expect to increase their
overall hiring in the coming year.
81.3% of those replying said that they
look for technology skills in a significant
number of non-information technology
employees…and 56% said they would look
PAGE 8 –
October 2004
for more technical skills from those employees in the future.
The mere fact that there is an increase in
the hiring of technology rich people outside
the IE field is well taken by most electronic
technicians whose chances at entry level
have been hampered in the past 24 months.
There is actually now a shortage of some
technical electronic skills. Consumer electronics service providers all over the U.S.
are looking for qualified people…but qualification is the key, and entry level positions
are not so plentiful.
As DeVry and ISCET both know – the
key to today's job market is education! Get
your education, and secure certification to
prove the point.
Nokia Ships One Million N-Gage Game Decks
The Built-in 80GB Hard Drive Can Record Up To
142 Hours
Nokia announced on September 1,
2004 that it has shipped its one millionth
game deck globally since the sales of the NGage platform started eleven months ago.
"We're proud to have reached the one
million milestone. Thanks to the enthusiastic consumer response to the N-Gage QD
and our latest titles, we're confident that our
success in leading the mobile gaming world
will continue," said Ilkka Raiskinen, Nokia's
Senior Vice President of Games.
The N-Gage Arena is the worldwide
mobile gamer community where members
can communicate with each other, compete
against gamers across the globe, and enjoy
exclusive content, events and activities.
Members can connect to the N-Gage Arena
via their game deck, Arena-enabled game or
the Internet.
"The N-Gage Arena offers us an opportunity to create innovative new gameplay
features for EA franchises like The Sims or
Tiger Woods PGA Tour," said Nancy Smith,
Executive Vice President, General Manager,
North America Publishing at Electronic
Arts. "In reaching the one million milestone,
we see that the N-Gage is establishing itself
as a serious player in the portable gaming
business."
The N-Gage offers consumers the possibility to play exclusive N-Gage only
games as well as some of their favorite
brands from publishers like Activision,
Electronic Arts, Gameloft and THQ. The
2004 holiday season will see the N-Gage
expand its portfolio.
LG Electronics U.S. Subsidiary Licenses Reception Technology to Toshiba
SEOUL (August 31, 2004) LG Electronics Inc.'s digital television
(DTV) subsidiary in the United States has
licensed its patented DTV reception technology to Toshiba America Consumer
Products, L.L.C. Terms were not disclosed.
LG's wholly owned subsidiary, Zenith
Electronics Corporation, developed the 8VSB digital transmission system at the heart
of the ATSC DTV standard adopted by the
Federal Communications Commission. The
company holds numerous patents essential
to the production of over-the-air digital television receivers. Under the agreement,
Toshiba becomes the latest in a growing list
of companies to license the "8-VSB" (eightlevel vestigial sideband) DTV technology.
This summer marks the start of new FCC
regulations that, over the next three years,
will require 8-VSB tuners in virtually all
TVs in the United States over the next three
years. The phased-in tuner requirement
started on July 1, 2004, with 50 percent of
36-inch and larger television sets. Zenith
has been a wholly owned subsidiary of LG
Electronics Inc. since 1999.
Member Information Updates Needed for 2005 ProService Directory & Yearbook
The 2005 ProService Directory will
include (as it did in 2003 and 2004) a listing
of current NESDA members.
The listing includes the member's
name, company name, business phone/fax,
website, email address, and Certified
Service Center logo if the company is certified.
This listing adds pages to the book, and
as always we want to make the listings as
accurate as possible. To achieve this level
of accuracy, we need your assistance in
updating information we have in the
NESDA member database, as this is where
the listings come from.
Please visit www.nesda.com and look
for the heading in the right hand corner,
labelled "NESDA Members". Scroll down
to the link titled "Update Member Info".
Complete the information and it will be
received by the NESDA office. Even if you
are sure we already HAVE good information, please complete the form so we can
check the information against your current
information.
Please submit this information as soon
as possible. Do us a favor and complete the
form even if you think we already have your
most current information, as it will give us
another chance to check the accuracy of
what we have.
IF YOU ARE A MANUFACTURER
OR DISTRIBUTOR, please go to the
heading marked "Publications" and scroll
down to "Update Yearbook Listing" so we
can make sure your information is accurate
as well. Please consider that the membership listing has made this book an even
more valuable resource for members, and
makes advertising more visible than it has
been. For information on advertising please
contact Stephanie Miller via e-mail at
stephanie@nesda.com.
PAGE 9 –
October 2004
Can We Talk?
By Fay Wood EHF, Chair – Marketing and
Membership Committee
Let's talk about angels. To be more specific, the NESDA Industry Angels Program.
The Industry Angels Program affords
membership to those servicers who are
not yet members for any number of reasons.
It is paid for by service industry
sponsors that, like you and me,
want to see NESDA grow and
prosper and stay in the lead
among service industry associations. The program sponsors are
helping NESDA achieve our
goals for growth, and are
strengthening the service industry by building our ranks.
For 2005, the 18 companies
listed here (in alpha order) have
committed their sponsorship and
support to the program:
AON;
Assurant;
B&D
Enterprises,
Inc.;
CDA
Software; JVC; Kenwood;
Mitsubishi; NEW; Panasonic;
Philips; Samsung; Service
Power; Sharp; Thomson;
Toshiba; Tritronics, Inc.; VAC;
and WaCA/SatisFusion.
As of this writing we have 94
confirmed pledges for sponsorship from these companies. I'd
like to take this opportunity to
thank these supporters for helping NESDA to grow its membership.
There are many other companies in our industry that are able
to sponsor, but they either
haven't been asked or they may
not be fully aware of how sponsoring new members boosts the
service industry.
From my perspective, an
Angel sponsored is a servicer
that gains access to a wealth of
knowledge and support through
NESDA. He/she comes in contact with other like-minded servicers, gains the support of ongoing
efforts like the
PAGE 10 –
October 2004
NESDA Industry Relations Committee,
gains an audience with their Regional
Director and the entire NESDA Board to
support their efforts and causes, has an
opportunity to benefit from technical information, are invited to participate in state,
regional and national meetings, has a forum
under NESDAnet to speak to his/her customers (those that pay you to do things like
manufacturers, and TPA's) and gains quick
advice and support from peers about repairs,
fixes, finding parts and literature, etc.). Add
the opportunity to contact all the major parts
(Continued on Page 13)
Corporate Headquarters
5233 South Highway 37 • Bloomington, Indiana 47401
800-844-7871 • Fax: 800-844-3291 • E-mail: pts@ptscorp.com
www.ptscorp.com
Congratulations to the
High School Students
and Postsecondary
School Students
Pictured at Left Who
Won the 2004 Skills USA
Championships.
Front Row L to R: High School medalists: Bronze-Sean Calhoun, Delaware JVS (OH);
Gold-Tim Nossaman, Mexico AVTS (MO); Silver-David Wallace, Parkside High School
CTE (MD); and Don Hatton, Technical Committee. Back row L to R: Postsecondary
School medalists: Bronze-Nick Boyd, Mexico AVTS (MO); Gold-Benjamin McBride,
Salt Lake Community College (UT); and Silver-Josh Horner, Bismarck State College
(ND).
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ADVERTISERS: Does ProService Magazine reach your target market? Would you like to advertise with us? Why not request more information? Contact: ProService Magazine; Attn:
Advertising; 3608 Pershing Avenue Fort Worth, TX 76107 or call 817/921-9061 ext. 13 .
PAGE 11 –
October 2004
Q & A From NESDAnet
Q: My company will be moving workstation especially for the camera techs. taken away from the work area, set up the
lockers or coat racks here to get it away
shortly. Does anyone have any
STOCKROOM. Don't need it, if you do you from the work area.
words of wisdom?
A:
From Fred Paradis CSM,
NESDA Region 1 Director
PURGE. If you haven't used it you probably won't. This is the best time to clean up
and get organized. Don't pay to move junk.
LAYOUT. Take the time to draw a detailed
layout of the space and maximize your
usage. Think for the future not the past.
Video displays have changed dramatically
and storage requirements must be adjusted
for.
WORKSTATIONS. Workstations need to be
setup for maximum ergonomic effectiveness. Incorporate the computer into the
Q: I am trying to establish myself
in audio repairs. I have a website of
course - and am wondering if you
were going to start over again, what
suggestions would you have?
Where do I look for business
and accounts? What would you do
different? And the age old question
of deposit, or free estimates?
A: From Jim Kocmoud, KMR Tech
Services, Westchester, IL
Define a specific niche that your business fits in to.
Visit other shops that can refer business
your way.
Offer a small spiff if they refer customers, and a discount to those referred customers.
Charge more than you think you're
worth.
Get your web page amp'ed up with keywords, meta-tags and other search-engine
goodies....NOW!
PAGE 12 –
October 2004
are tying up dollars in inventory. Generic or
high volume is one thing. A 9-165 is another.
CUSTOMER RECEPTION. As large and
inviting as possible.
SHIPPING AND RECEIVING. If you ship
product after repair, look into a bulk peanut
dispenser. Keeps the area clean
LIGHTING. Very important for a professional appearance
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
Segregate the front counter from the work
area.
Just some things that came to my head, very
rarely do we get a chance to "re-invent" our
businesses. Seize it!!
Good luck!!!!
Frederic Paradis CSM
NESDA Region 1 Director
daves.tv@verizon.net
SIGNAGE. Don't skimp here, especially if
you are moving somewhere they do not
know your company.
BREAK AREA. Breaks, lunch, etc are best
It's a world market out there. A visit to
eBay will convince you if nothing else does.
You will get a fair amount of out-of-area
business, so be ready to ship:
Get a UPS account;
Invest in packaging materials;
If the stuff you are shipping is especially heavy or precious, get a foam-in-place
system.
Don't forget to charge for packing
materials and handling time.
Charge more than you think you're
worth.
Pay attention to the bottom line:
If you're in negative territory at the end
of the month, spend less or charge more.
Sounds simple, but it's the most difficult task most independent shops have.
We are all good technicians, but usually lousy business people.
Charge more than you think you're
worth.
Not charging for estimates? Are you
nuts?
A customer MUST become invested in
their repair;
Also it shows sincerity that the item
will actually be picked up.
Establish a customer-signed waiver that
goods left over a certain time WILL be sold.
Charge more than you think you're
worth.
Solicit your existing customers for your
new venture.
A postcard mailout or flyer is a good
start with an existing customer base .
Make a coupon on the postcard/flyer
good for 10% discount, free diag or similar.
The advertising-magnetic-word "free"
is valuable, but it can bury you...use with
discretion!
Did I mention to charge more than you
think you're worth? I can't tell you how
much money I have left on the table over the
years:
Not realizing my true cost of doing
business.
Not realizing that (some, not all) people
WILL pay my price for my professional
services.
Now at age 51, I am finally profitable
and taking home a nice wage.
Good luck in your new venture!
Regards.......Jim
ProService Magazine Advertising Rates For 2005:
Black and White: Full Page — $250
Half Page — $125
Color:
Full Page — $500
Half Page — $250
Can We Talk? (Continued)
distributors to find those needed parts, and
your peers who can help you locate those
obsolete ones that you never thought you
would ever find. It's an unbeatable combination, and something you can only get
through membership in NESDA.
I could go on and on about the benefits
of an Angel sponsorship, but one thing is for
sure. We cannot offer sponsorships without
our generous sponsors. So if you have not
already committed to sponsor Angels for
2005, how about it? Won't you consider
lending your support to this effort by contacting me or the NESDA office to sign up
and be counted?
Are you one of those companies that has
not been asked, or who have put off joining
the support effort for the service industry?
NESDA needs your support and the servicer(s) you sponsor will be grateful that
you did.
Besides getting ongoing recognition for
sponsoring, you will be among those that
receive an award at NPSC and are recognized throughout the convention and in
NESDA printed and online publications.
The Marketing/Membership Committee
is working on some extra special recognition to come for our Angel Program sponsors. And, contributions to Angel Program
sponsorships are tax deductible to the extent
allowed by law.
If you are not yet listed among the 2005
sponsors, let us hear from you. Now, I want
to say a word to anyone who may be reading this who is not a member of NESDA and
would like to be sponsored by one of these
fine organizations. You can sign up to win
one of these sponsorships by clicking on the
square red link on the NESDA home page at
www.nesda.com. The link says "Would you
like to win a free, one-year membership in
NESDA and NESDAnet? Click here to
enter." A drawing is held periodically to
give these memberships away. You receive
a one-year membership in NESDA with all
the benefits, plus a subscription to
NESDAnet, NESDA's e-mail community of
servicers. If your name is drawn, you will
be contacted with more information. You
must not have been a member of NESDA
for the past 24 months to qualify. The
demand for these memberships exceeds the
available number, so please consider joining
as a regular member if your name is not
drawn. So when you think about angels,
think "sponsorships!"
It is a heavenly
thought.
Talk with you next time around.........Fay
Computer Tip: Free Utilities
ScreenPrint32 (Provtech Ltd.)
There is no shortage of uses for a good
screen print utility. This handy utility is the
best we have seen and is free for personal
use.
ScreenPrint32 allows you to print
and/or capture to disk or clipboard the full
desktop, active window, a predefined area,
or another area you select. You can save the
screen to a file, print to any printer, add a
date and time stamp, and more.
Runs under Windows 98, ME® &
Windows NT/2000/XP®.
Link to free download is on this page:
http://www.provtech.co.uk/download/
default.asp
Atomic Clock
(Chaos Software Group, Inc.)
A freeware program called Atomic
Clock Sync can help you keep your computer up-to-date with the exact current time.
The program will connect to one of the time
servers operated by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) in the
U.S., and will compare the time of your
computer with the time on the servers operated by the NIST. It will then display the
difference between your system and the
servers and if greater than 15 seconds, it will
offer you the option of adjusting your PC by
the displayed amount. Advertising says
there is no spyware, and no ad banners.
Runs on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT4,
or XP.
Link to free download on this page:
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomicclock/
What is Job Target?
That's the engine that drives ISCET's
Career Center. Lots of power, lots of job
listings, and lots of job seekers.
NO COST to either seekers or managers. Seekers can register and receive an
e-mail alert whenever a job is available that
matches the criteria the seeker sets.
Managers can look at seekers general listings without cost.
If you're serious about looking for a
change, or need a job take a look at Job
Target on the Career Center at
www.iscet.org.
If you're serious about needing a tech,
or hiring an entry level person take a look at
Job Target on the Career Center at
www.iscet.org.
If you haven't tried it you don't know.
Let us know how you make out.
Easy Thumbnails (Fookes Software)
Free utility lets you create accurate
thumbnails from popular picture formats.
Find and view images easily, preview your
thumbnails, and use tools to rotate images
and adjust contrast, brightness, sharpness
and compression.
Link to free download on this page:
http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/
Job Target
We hear a lot of comments today from
both Technicians and Managers…and both
are looking at the same thing – JOBS.
There are technicians looking for jobs, and
managers looking for technicians. Both say
neither is available. WRONG!
There are areas of the country that have
fewer jobs, and some have fewer applicants.
There are a lot of factors that enter into both
statements. The fact is, however, that JOB
TARGET can help both of you!
PAGE 13 –
October 2004
Viewing the Passing Parade — ISCET News & Views
FEELEd
THE
PERSONALISCET
SATISFACTION
THAT
by
Clingman,
Administrator
list of what's available today:
All Associate CET, including Spanish
Computer Electronics CET
Consumer Electronics CET
Communications Electronics CET
FCC Elements 1, 3, 5 thru 9
NASTeC Basic Skills
NASTeC Washer, Dryer, Disposer,
Compactor
Others will be added as they become available.
ProSer vice Web
Web Magazine: We're
We're
Turning a Corner
Providing ProService Magazine in printby the American
edCollege
formCredits
onlyRecommended
in June and
August (just
Council on Education (ACE) — An independent,
internationally
recognized
organization
dedicated the
before and after NPSC), but utilizing
to excellence in education.
web for distribution
in February, April,
October and December, allows us to have
more content in the web months without
any extra cost as well as saving the printing
costs. What does this mean to ISCET?
1.The opportunity to add new features,
columns and information for ISCET members, electronics enthusiasts, CETs and students. 2. The space to reprint articles, services and ideas gleaned from others.
3. More pictures, graphics and advertisements.
New Electronics Systems Associate
(ES A-1 & ES A-2)
The ESA-1 is out for review and should
be ready by the end of October. ESA-2
and the competency (skill sets), recommended study text and Lesson Outline soon
thereafter. The study guide/practice test
(SG/PT )in paper, and the online study
guide/practice test (CSG/PT) will be
around the first of the year 2005.
Interactive Learning Courses (LC-IA)
will be available in the first quarter of
2005. Interactive training will feature a
classroom environment on the web, with
audio shared by instructor(s) and
student(s). Graphics and learning material
viewed simultaneously by all.
Student Chapters ... Give Us Pictures
Tell us what you are doing. We've got
the space now to shout about your activities. Welcome to the newest Chapter –
Southeast Community College, Milford,
NE – Mr. John Pierce, Program Chair
Electronics Engineering Certification
Administrators…Tell us about your students test results…tell us about your students. If you have some humorous tales
about testing – tell us. Everybody enjoys a
good story. This can be a new column for
anybody's constructive thoughts. American
Airlines just found that some of their big
problems had answers that lay in their
employees bags of tricks. Some of these
resulted in savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars. You, too, might have an
idea that would benefit someone else in the
field of electronics. If there are replies to
this, we will include it in the "Passing
Parade". If there's enough of it we'll do a
completely new column or feature story on
it for each publication.
New Learning Material
To sell along with other books and training materials are being reviewed… and
should be available for purchase within the
next 3 months. If you have any recommendations of particular books to consider,
please let us know. Contact ed@iscet.org
giving the title, author(s) and publisher. If
you know the ISBN No. it would also help.
Feel the
Power of
ISCET
Certification
and
Learning
COMES FROM KNOWING YOU ARE A
BETTER THAN AVERAGE PROFESSIONAL
ISCET’S ONLINE WEB-BASED TESTING MAKES IT EASY
TO OBTAIN YOUR CERTIFICATION
Online Testing
Testing
We're adding all the time
to the exams available in our
Online Testing System
(OLT). Following is a
PAGE 14 –
October 2004
Certification Administrators (C As):
The Top Ten CAs for 2004 are shown in
the Feature Box on page 18. Certificates
will be mailed to each of them very soon.
It was not possible to determine who they
were until now, due to a glitch in our FCC
reporting data base. We're up and running
again now, with all date in one central file
located in Ft. Worth, TX. Without the CAs
ISCET could not function. Their dedication to education in general and electronics
education in particular is to be admired by
all. Additional CAs are always needed. If
you or someone known to you would like
to be a CA, let us know…fill out the application which is on the ISCET website,
www.iscet.org. We especially need CAs in
foreign countries.
C ANET@ISCET.ORG
ANET@ISCET.ORG
That's the new e-mail address for CAs
to use to quickly contact us here at the
main office (Fort Worth, TX). The message will go to Patricia, Margaret and Ed.
We will all know about the message you
send. One of us will answer you. We will
be sending information to you via e-mail
regularly. Those of you who do not have
e-mail will receive it by USPS (United
States Postal Service). If you receive material from us via USPS it's because we do
not have your e-mail address. Once we
have it you will receive most communications via e-mail.
BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR C A INFORMAINFORMATION UPUP-TO -DATE
-DATE
Go to www.iscet.org click on 'CA
Login'. Once you are in, click on 'here'
where you can update your information.
Online Learning
We're making steady progress on the
Online Associate Learning Course (LC).
The first section should be ready for use by
Dec. 1, 2004 and section two by April of
2005. These will be tremendous helps to
people who study online…and there will be
interactive courses as well (LC-IA) where
the student will be in a virtual classroom.
Live instructor(s) and live audio connections where all can hear what is said, and
all can see the same screen graphics and
information. They will be regularly scheduled courses, with make-up available, and
exit quizing during and at the end of the
course.
NA STeC
STeC
Several appliance manufacturers have
shown interest in utilizing the NASTeC
examinations to enhance their Human
Relations, Marketing and Service departments…as well as the technical training
that can be paired with ISCET/NASTeC's
online training capabilities. It is our goal
to have appliance technician training online
as soon as we possibly can…and with the
help of some of these manufacturers, this
will happen.
CES (Consumer Electronics Show)
The CES (Consumer Electronics Show),
being held January 6 - 9, 2005 in Las
Vegas, NV, is a huge helping of electronics
in any shape or form you want…yes, we'll
be there. Stop by the NESDA/ISCET
booths. ISCET will be spot lighting the
Online Learning Courses…as well as the
new certifications ESA-1 and ESA-2 along
with the study material for them.
7E3ELL4(%)2'OODS
Meet the NESDA Member: Doug Freeman
This feature will be in every issue of
ProService Magazine, starting with the
current issue. If you would like to be featured please contact stephanie@nesda.com.
The photo of Doug and his wife Charlie was taken
at Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas while at
CES in January of 2004.
Full Name:
Doug Freeman
Age:
37
NESDA/ISCET Involvement:
NESDA Board of Directors/ Region 2
Company Name:
Marvin's Electronics Inc.
Years in this business?:
16
City and State:
Jacksonville, Florida
Area that you cover:
Northeast Fla & Southeast Ga (100+ mile
radius of Jacksonville)
Company history:
Founded by Roger Marvin in 1946, One of
the oldest service centers in Florida.
Personal business strategy:
My personal business strategy has always
been fairly simple. Strive for and maintain
a high level of customer service, highly
trained employees and experienced technicians and office staff, and maintain a close
working relationship with your manufacturer's field reps. I have always tried to keep
informed of any changes occurring in this
industry. Knowledge is extremely
important. I firmly believe that
Independent Service Centers are the key to
the future of this industry.
Greatest business challenge:
Finding additional experienced technicians.
I believe this is one of the biggest challenge facing our industry today. As a
career, this industry is often overlooked for
more exciting and profitable ones. I hope
to work toward changing this in the future.
We need to try and work together to
recruit future technicians that will keep this
challenging and rewarding industry going
and growing.
Industry trends I foresee:
Where products are concerned, I foresee a
tremendous expansion in high end Home
Theater Systems. Customers have
expressed the desire for bigger and
better products.Along with these new products, the need for In home service will be
required more often than not. I firmly
believe that Independent Service Centers
are the key to the future of this industry.
The newer products must be made to be
more serviceable in the field and the
Independent Service Centers will be in a
better position to achieve these goals.
If you could choose one business decision
to do over, what would it be?
I would have purchased our building several years ago, when I had the chance. When
you lease you cannot expand the way you
would like to. Commercial property has
tripled over the last few years and will continue to do so. Prime commercial real
estate is a very good investment. I was
fortunate enough to recently purchase our
building and surrounding commercial property, which will enable us to expand our
company. I know this was a wise decision.
Primary products or services offered:
Projection , HDTV, Plasma, LCOS, DLP,
LCD service only
Spouse:
Charlotte (Charlie) Freeman
Number of Employees:
10
Children:
Willow (age 5), Douglas (age 16)
Percentage of your work
that is warranty:
99%
PAGE 16 –
October 2004
First job:
Airport shuttle bus driver for Greyhound
rent-a-car
First car:
1970 Chevelle, Totaled it 3 weeks after I
got it :(
Car I drive now:
2003 Caravan
Favorite place to get away to:
Much to my wife's dismay, my favorite
place to go is Las Vegas or Atlantic City. I
try to go as often as can. If you have never
been you must give it a try.
One person I'd like to meet:
President George W. Bush
Hobbies:
Storm Photography, Fishing, Long range
target practice. After a frustrating day at the
office I enjoy going to the gun range and
hitting dimes at a 100+ yards.
Thing I have too much of:
Pictures! I love photography and take pictures all the time. My favorite subject is
my daughter Willow. You can never take a
bad picture with her.
Favorite Book:
We Were Soldiers. This book was based on
my father's unit in Vietnam's battle of Ia
Drange valley, He was a career soldier with
30 years of decorated service, including 3
tours in Vietnam.
Favorite Movies:
We Were Soldiers. This movie was also
based on my father's unit in Vietnam.
Favorite Television Shows:
Discovery Channel HD, Fox News, The
Sopranos and I hate to admit this, but I
never miss Reno 911! :)
What kind of music do you listen to?
I listen to a little bit of everything, Mozart,
Rock, Metal, Big Band, etc.
Anything else you'd like to share:
I have enjoyed representing region 4/2 for
the last two years. I look forward to the
next two years and hopefully more, if my
members so desire. I would like to request
that anyone involved in this industry stand
up and make your opinions known.
Without voices change can not be made
and your beliefs cannot be held. There is
no more room for apathy. The Independent
Service Centers are counting on each other
to survive in an ever growing industry.
One Man's Opinion
ISCET Staff Writer
"Television, once again, will be a front
room experience. A single, large screen, flat
panel display, configured in a home entertainment center, will be the center of attention."
In a letter to Mack Blakely, Executive
Director NESDA/ISCET Mr. John S.
Hanson, CET of Etowal, NC summed up his
feelings about the future of electronics servicers which, according to Mr. Hanson, will
signal the return of the Golden Years of
profit.
Here's Mr. Hanson's letter. There's something here for everyone.
"I attended as an observer/guest of
George Weiss,CET, Dave McKalip and Leo
Cloutier. I retain my ISCET membership
(and certification) dating back to 1973. You
are welcome to publish my commentary.
Thanks to the wisdom of the committee
for selecting Nashville, TN and the
Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center,
the event was a big success. Attending was
a mix of old and new members, an opportunity to learn from the wisdom of the industry trainers, enjoy the camaraderie, partake
of the hospitality provided by the event
sponsors, and leave with a new perspective.
I recall talking to Frank Moch, EHF in
Chicago in the early 50s. He recognized the
need for servicers to unite and form an
organization to share wisdom and to have a
voice in the industry. He fought for product
training and better communication with the
product manufacturers. Extended warranties by the sellers needed a service organization to support their custom commitments.
We have seen dramatic changes in how
products are sold and warranty supported.
Products have become commodities limiting service profit. At the convention, we
had the opportunity to listen to the wisdom
of the Trainers introducing Flat Panel High
Definition Television, talked about for
years. The product is here, and timed with
the world change in how television is broadcast. Broadcasters will transmit in digital,
literally making every TV set obsolete.
Viewers will need some form of decoder
box in order to view TV. Hopefully, many
will opt to buy a new flat panel TV.
In l953 RCA introduced NTSC color TV,
a compatible broadcast system that allowed
viewers to watch color programming in
black and white on their TV. The system
compromised quality to accommodate the
broadcasting change. This will not be the
case with digital broadcasting. In effect, we
have a new beginning in the industry. The
trainers at the convention made it clear. The
level of product offered will require certified technicians with manufacturers training
which is convenient to attend, complete
with training material, hard copy and online,
made available to certified technicians.
Television once again will be a front
room experience. A single, large screen, flat
panel display, configured in a home entertainment center, will be the center of attention, A full 360 returning television to the
front room. TV Dinners, watching Uncle
Milty, and the golden years of profit to dealers and servicers are back. Get the wisdom,
stay the course and reap the profits."
WELL SAID Mr. Hanson…and
NESDA/ISCET are not asleep at the switch.
Training at NPSC is up to the minute, both
for NESDA and ISCET. New programs in
Online Learning for ISCET are being developed that accomplish exactly what you
called for – Model specific training on the
most recent offerings of the manufacturers…delivered to the technicians, CETs in
an online, convenient format, with recognition in the form of an endorsement to the
existing CET. New programs are availablefor high school and secondary schools to
train the technicians of the future.
PAGE 17 –
October 2004
ISCET President's Article
Why Certification? – Again!
By Jim Fellows CET/CSM, ISCET President
This will be a short message this month,
since I want to re-discuss something that
other ISCET presidents and I have covered
before.
"Why do I need to be a CET?"
(Or why do my employees need to be
CETs.)
I've heard this question many times since
I've been involved with CET certification
(20+ years).
Let me first address the single most common comment I hear.
"I knew a tech that was a CET, and he
couldn't fix anything."
Does having a CET certification automatically make you a good technician?
Absolutely not!!
Even with all the testing and certification
that doctors undergo, there are still poor
doctors practicing medicine. Does this mean
that we shouldn't require doctors to have a
license?
Also, there are many excellent technicians in our industry that are not CET certified. What do they have to gain by becoming a CET?
The most important reason to me is one
I've observed time and time again since I've
been teaching CET preparatory courses at
two local colleges, and within our own company. This is a statement I will not back
down from!
"Any technician that studies for the CET
certification WILL become a better technician." I've seen this proven true even for
techs that didn't pass the test yet, as well as
super-productive techs that didn't think it
would help.
Marketing your business is another
important advantage to CET certification.
The CSC (Certified Service Center) program is gaining both in acceptance and
importance. More and more manufacturers
are supporting the CSC program, even to the
point of considering that all of their service
centers must be CSC certified as a requirement for authorization.
The last reason I'll mention is simply a
matter of pride. Technicians that have
passed the CET examination take great
pride in that accomplishment. They know
they have benefited by their efforts.
To all those good technicians out there
that are not yet CETs – You know you're
good, why not prove it?
Or to put it another way – Try it, you'll
like it!
I'm Jim Fellows, and I approved this
message.
As always, questions, comments, and
criticism are welcome. I can be reached at
jim.fellows@iscet.org.
Congratulations to the Top 10 Certification
Administrators From 6/1/2003 to 5/31/2004:
1. Rod Moore – Wichita, KS
2. Iutisone Tiliaia – El Paso, TX
3. Ed Reilly – Las Vegas, NV
4. David Skeen – Tacoma, WA
5. L.A. Leibensperger – Center Valley City, PA
6. Gary Moore – Paducah, KY
7. J.J. Villademoros – Brandon, FL
8. Ed Kimmel – Louisville, KY
9. Matt Dillman – Evansville, IN
10. Jim Fellows – Syracuse, NY
PAGE 18 –
October 2004
Welcome New Associates & CET’s
Welcome New CET’s:
Passed Journeyman Exam
from 8/11/2004 to 10/01/2004
Certification Administrator:
Name
City, State
Robert R. Aston CA
Charles S. Boyce
El Paso, Tx
Reginald L. Camps
El Paso, Tx
Cesar A. Cervantes
Canutillo, Tx
Alexandro V. Montenegro
El Paso, Tx
Christina Mosqueda
El Paso, Tx
Isaac Zamora
El Paso, Tx
Eddie H. Bright CA
Cammie A. Cantrell, Jr.
Dothan, Al
Proctor
Keith Pool
Arlington, Tx
Iutisone Tiliaia CA
Richard D. Barrio
Las Cruces
Jimmy Corral
El Paso, Tx
Raymond J. Duque
El Paso, Tx
Eric N. Valverde
El Paso, Tx
Name
Welcome New Associates:
Passed Associate Exam
from 8/11/2004 to 10/01/2004
Certification Administrator:
City, State
Baltazar Hidalgo CA
Jo Anne Casillas
Los Angeles, Ca
Thomas Cooke
Eric Hubbard
George N. Psoras
Carey Rochelle
Annie Welle
Steven J. Wilmarth
Maynardville, Tn
Knoxville, Tn
Melbourne, Fl
Queen Creek, Az
Spirit Lake, Id
Benson, Az
ISCET
Donald Wilson
Aledo, Tx
Michael R. Miller CET, CA
Hai Chau Nguyen
San Jose, Ca
Baltazar Hidalgo CA
Jose A. Aviles
Los Angeles, Ca
Jo Anne Casillas
Los Angeles, Ca
Willie Lewis
Los Angeles, Ca
Eufronio Milan
Buena Park, Ca
Tien D. Phan
Cerritos, Ca
Isaac T. Rodriguez
Los Angeles, Ca
Adrian Rodriguez
North Hollywood, Ca
Arlene L. Vargas
Whittier, Ca
Ta-Wen Wang;
San Gabriel, Ca
Michael R. Miller CET, CA
Anthony C. Whigham
San Luis Obispo, Ca
Lazergrade
Barry L. Fichter CA
Abdoulaye Balde
Woodbridge, Va
Ronald R. Caron CA
Joseph Taylor-Leach
Benson, Az
Harold F. Baker CA
Obal Ornelas
Queen Creek, Az
Kevin L. Wackerly
Willcox, Az
Alan C. Besore CET, CA
James F. Ehle
Lake Worth, Fl
J.J. Villademoros CET, CA
Drago Bozic
Saint Petersburg, Fl
Todd C. Easterman
Saint Petersburg, Fl
Gerald J. Herr
Saint Petersburg, Fl
Joseph S. Holbrook
Saint Petersburg, Fl
Arthur R. Humphries
Clearwater, Fl
(Continued on Page 20)
PAGE 19 –
October 2004
Welcome New Associates & CET’s (Continued)
J.J. Villademoros CET, CA (Continued)
Amanda Larke
Tampa, Fl
Jeremy P. Riffee
New Port Richey, Fl
Derek A. Rogers
Largo, Fl
Mauricio Sanmartin
Clearwater, Fl
Ronald M. Scott
Riverview, Fl
Sebastian S Szaflarski
Pinellas Park, Fl
Uriah J. Talbot
Pinellas Park, Fl
Charles W. Young
Tampa, Fl
Leslie Paul Sheets CA
Ronald F. Ahlfield
Carbondale, Il
Michael D. Fisher
Carbondale, Il
Rod D. Moore CA
Tristen L. Baker
Wichita, Ks
Craig A. Betzen
Belle Plaine, Ks
Christopher K. Bock
Wichita, Ks
Shaun M. Botonis
Wichita, Ks
Jared R. Boyd
Denison, Ks
Joshua A. Breen
Wichita, Ks
Clifton E. Brown
Wichita, Ks
Lenore K. Brown
Wichita, Ks
Kevin T. Browning
Topeka, Ks
Steven R. Budd
Wichita, Ks
Porsha R. Carr
Topeka, Ks
Dominic A. Carreno
Topeka, Ks
Jimmy R. Chancey
Wichita, Ks
Michael L. Cliffman
Wellington, Ks
Daniel C. Craft
Augusta, Ks
Jason C. Dabney
Topeka, Ks
Steven A. Doll
Milton, Ks
James J. Dunaway
Wichita, Ks
Jamie M. Franklin
Auburn, Ks
Melissa L. Gardner
Wichita, Ks
Leo J. Gellings, Jr.
Topeka, Ks
James A. Harper
Wichita, Ks
Terry R. Hilt
Rose Hill, Ks
Troy W. House
Cheney, Ks
Branden L. Jansen
Wichita, Ks
Michael S. Johnson
Wichita, Ks
Jeffrey L. Klotz
Wichita, Ks
Charles J. Kranz
Silver Lake, Ks
Michael W. Lambert Jr.
Wichita, Ks
Marvin M. Lawton
Topeka, Ks
Kendall A. Link
Topeka, Ks
Glenn A. McCosh
Wichita, Ks
Kerry D. McKee
Anthony, Ks
Mario Medina-Rodriguez
Enterprise, Ks
Anthony L. Moore
Nhat Minh Nguyen
Charles O. Onyango
Christal G. Padilla
Donny D. Pasilas
Timothy Phillips
Charlie B. Phillips
Roger D. Randel, Jr.
Jana Jo Redeker
Douglas R. Robison
Maria D. Rodriguez
Jennifer L. Rogers
Matthew J. Rohr
Yvonne Schroeder
Clinton E. Shockley
Shawn D. Stearns
Derrick D. Thomas
Wichita, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Topeka, Ks
Topeka, Ks
Topeka, Ks
Olpe, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Haysville, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Newton, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Rose Hill, Ks
Wichita, Ks
Gary P. Moore CA
Dennis W. Gooch
Marion, Il
David S Pedigo II
Dexter, Mo
Jeffrey A. Sullivan
Metropolis, Il
Casey W. Troutt
Brookport, Il
Richard A. Williams
Gilbertsville, Ky
Robert M. Braunston CET, CA
Wade R. Cook
Boston, Ma
Dallas W. Broughton
Matthew L. Jackson
Andy C. Poole
Jarrettsville, Md
Aberdeen, Md
Conowingo, Md
Earl Fosler CET, CA
Matthew T. Baker
Kearney, Ne
Josh D. Beck
Blair, Ne
Adam J. Dillon
Ewing, Ne
Taylor B. Dorman
York, Ne
Benjamin J. Ferneau
Lincoln, Ne
Joshua W. Michels
Lincoln, Ne
Adam C. Pallas
Wilber, Ne
Nathan M. Staub
Carroll, Ne
Jim Fellows CET, CA
Scott B. Burdick
Cicero, Ny
Shawn M Donahue
Liverpool, Ny
John A. Henne, Jr.
Brewerton, Ny
Michael R.R. Kemp
Syracuse, Ny
Donald P. St. Onge
Alan R. Walker
Mark A. Wesley
Cape Vincent, Ny
Bridgeport, Ny
Liverpool, Ny
L. A. Leibensperger CET, CA
Christopher D. Harrar
Susquehanna, Pa
Aidan T. Horng
Hatfield, Pa
Huy Dieu Luong
Philadelphia, Pa
Justin D. Mostafa
Phillipsburg, Nj
Sharon R. Phillips
Royersford, Pa
David T. Saveri III
Nazareth, Pa
Corey M. Sloma
Binghamton, Ny
Justin W. Strope
Apalachin, Ny
Dorrance H. Tucker Jr.
Moscow, Pa
Philip T. Uhnak
Danielsville, Pa
Vickie Jackson CA
Kent E. Stephens
Harrison, Tn
William Burrow CA
Joshua C. Bouher
Sweetwater, Tx
Lance C. Givilancz
Sweetwater, Tx
Wayne A. Milam
Sweetwater, Tx
Jaime Pando
Sweetwater, Tx
Jesus G. Reazola Jr.
Merkel, Tx
Robert A. Ruiz
Sweetwater, Tx
Iutisone Tiliaia CA
Jose J. Aguilera
Willaim J. Berry
Carlos E. Corral
Albert Davila
Bobby Delao
Jose Delao Jr.
Jorge Delgado
Xavier A Duran
Andres Ibarra
Moises Lopez
Juan Rubalcava
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
El Paso, Tx
Anthony, Tx
El Paso, Tx
Bernadette Astorga CA
Robert T. Bourne
Salt Lake City, Ut
Larry Lambert CET,CA
Fred Stover Jr.
Powellton, Wv
Fred M. Venson Jr
Dunbar, Wv
CONGRATULATIONS: To all of the Top 10 Certification Administrators on page
18…and to all the CAs helping ISCET to serve the world of electronics through
recognition of abilities. You are the backbone of ISCET. A big Texas size THANKS
goes along to each of the Top Ten…and also to each and every one of you who,
even though no award was given, deserve to be recognized for your
contribution to ISCET and Electronics Education.
PAGE 20 –
October 2004
STUDENTS, MEMBERS, TECHNICIANS
LIGHT YOUR PATH TO ELECTRONICS
LEARNING – STUDY FOR CERTIFICATION
Feel the
Power of
ISCET
Certification
and
Learning
Whether
studyingSATISFACTION
for Certification,THAT
or just to better perform in your job…or maybe to get a better job or a promotion in
FEEL THEyou're
PERSONAL
theCOMES
job you FROM
have…or
maybe
electronics
is
KNOWING YOU ARE Aa big part of your HOBBY. YOU can study at home either using your computer online,
orBETTER
with books
and
other printed
material. ISCET has a learning program for you.
THAN AVERAGE
PROFESSIONAL
UsingWEB-BASED
proven textTESTING
books MAKES
by the IT
nation's
ISCET’S ONLINE
EASY best authors
TO
OBTAIN
YOUR
yourself
and
findCERTIFICATION
where you need more study, where
College Credits Recommended by the American
Electronics,
Electronics,
Council Basic
on Education
(ACE)Advanced
— An independent,
internationally
recognized organization
Communications
Electronics dedicated
to excellence in education.
and publishers, you will be able to quickly gain knowledge, quiz
you are strong.
Industrial Electronics, Consumer Electronics, Radar, Computer,
(Items in Blue are available for online and printed study. Items in Red are available only in printed form).
Using Online Learning the student is immediately drawn into the flow of the knowledge stream, with text and graphics that bring
the subject alive. Various types of learning are available. Totally online, learning discs, Interactive online classes will be available soon, with instructor(s) and on-screen presentation of the subject in such a manner as to captivate the student. Coupled
with audio that allows any class member to talk to or be heard by the rest of the students in attendance.
Check it out today. Visit www.iscet.org and click on the Online Learning link in the middle of the page…you'll see what's available to help students learn Electronics and prepare for certification if desired.
Testing & Certification by
ISCET
With so much activity centered around the Certified Service Center (CSC) today, it is appropriate to point out that ISCET will work
with all parties to achieve a timely testing session to meet your CSC filing needs.
Online testing is fast and can be arranged quickly.
In your haste to achieve certification, don't neglect to do a little 'boning up' for those questions that might touch on some element of electronics that your recent past has not utilized…on which you're a little rusty. This can sometimes mean the difference
in a passing or failing grade.
The ISCET website, www.iscet.org, shows a multitude of materials that can always help you. Some of this is also online so that
you can access it anywhere there is a web connection…makes study easy, and convenient.
If you need special help in setting up your testing, call 1-800-946-0201 and ask for Patricia or Ed.
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