I started as a two-way or LMR radio technician in 1982 and worked as one up till about 1995, from then forward to 2011, I filled other technical roles including technician in the industry. From 2011 to now, I've primarily been with Kenwood COrporate or EFJohnson corporate, so 39 years in radio now. I know well of the advances you speak of over that time frame. When I started, I carried a TUBE CADDY around with me, altho most tube radios were gone by 1985 or so.

I also worked on the IMTS mobile phones of the day, the precursor to analog cell phones which were the precursor to the digital phones of today. From the age of 12, I knew what I wanted to do for a living and have spent a lifetime doing it.

I was not going to make a thread for this, Gary suggested it. I'm happy to see that at least one person is getting entertainment from it. This will probably be a LONG term project, had I gone solid state, it would have ben easier, but I wanted to do something different, remembering my first tube type equipment as a ham operator at age 14 in the 70's. Some parts are very hard to source and, frankly, Ive had to go back to 50 year old textbooks to refresh myself on tube basics. One other thing that slows me down, is with 300 volts buzzing around in the cabinet, one must be a LOT more careful than if this was a solid state, 12 volt project.