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Part II

Interview with Don Farlow-Professional Electronic Repairer From Florida USA

ERG - How are you Don?

Don - I am fine. Thank sir very much.

ERG - How’s life as an electronic repairer?

Don - It is my preference.

ERG - How long have you been in the Electronic Repair line?

Don - I have 20 years experience as a repair technician.

ERG - What are the Electronic Equipment that you can repair?

Don - I can repair Home stereos, telephone equipment, video game consoles, professional audio equipment, computers, wireless communication equipment, more.

ERG - Do you learn the repair on your own or from a Guru/courses/forum/books and etc?

Don - Somewhat all the above.

ERG - What is your education background?

Don - High school diploma, two (2) years vocational school, two (2) years community college.

ERG - How much time do you spend on equipment before you give up? Why do you give up?

Don – Sometimes hours, sometimes days. I don't like to give up on personal matters. In business you have to draw evaluations. But if the customer is willing and the unit is coming back to life I will put what time it takes to make the satisfaction on both sides.

ERG - What’s your favourite test equipment and why do you like it?

Don - Tektronics 210 Oscilloscope and up. I like the unit’s high frequency reading, hfe capability, internal storage, and computer transfer cable hook-up. 

ERG - Which electronic repair website you frequently visited and why do you like it?

Don - I mostly upgrade, work-on, and repair computers and such. I'm not much of a webber.  

ERG - What was the last electronic book and magazine you read?  

Don - Popular electonics

ERG - Do you do your own R & D to find a better solution in electronic repair, for example like coming out with your own way of solving a particular circuit problem?

Don - Certainly!  

ERG - Generally on average how many types of electronic equipment you can repair in a day?  

Don - Depends on how many phone calls I deal with during the day, how many walk-in

customers, how many pick-ups, and what types of equipment. Some days 1, some days 3

some days 5.

ERG - Do you meet regularly with other electronic repairers to discuss about electronic problems and solutions?  

Don - Just Steve and a friend of mine name Gary Morris. I used to work with him at Protel and GTE.

ERG - What are the biggest problems you are facing in the Electronic repair line nowadays?

Don - Parts availability in the game console industry. 

ERG - Have you come across any electronic equipment that you can’t repair? And how do you plan to solve it?  

Don - I don't mess with Television too much mostly because of bulk. Pain in the butt. But I think Steve plans on changing that.

ERG - What advice would you give to a beginner who wish to join this trade?  

Don - Go to school, pay attention, dive into all of it, and don't be afraid to work on any of it.  

ERG - What is your future plan for your electronic repair career?

Don - Stick with Steve for 20 or so years.

ERG - Thanks Don!

Don - Thank you sir, Mr. Yong, for your time and energy. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this. Again, thank you sir.

PS. If you would like me to interview you, just drop me an email and I’ll arrange it from there. It is not necessary that you must be the owner of a company, as long as you are dealing with electronics (electronic repairers, suppliers, dealers and etc) we can proceed with the interview!

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