I started in audio when I was 9 years old.  Built a crystal radio and used my bedsprings as the antenna.  Could only get two stations - KDWB and WDGY AM but those were the "Top-40 Puberty Pulse Pounders"  in the early to mid-60's in Mpls, MN.

As a teenager, I built many projects.  Five tube short-wave radio, jiggle shock boxes, motors, black-light fluorescent strobe lights, VOM's, amplifiers and other gear.  Used to gut old TV's for parts behind the repair shop.  I'd buy parts and old computer boards at the local Radio Shack to stretch my money.  I interned as a Program Director for WTCN-TV in Mpls in 1970 while I was still in high school.  Got to meet all the local 'personalities' (Mel Jazz, Casey Jones, Round House Rodney) and learn what it took to put a show on the air.  Did some public radio also during this time - produced some public service announcement commercials. Pretty neat stuff for a 17 yr old.

Had to do my time in the Army as a combat medic during 'Nam in the early 70's.  My draft number was 30...  I knew I was in trouble when the Marine recruiter started calling and I got my letter from Unca Sam.  I  spent my time in Colorado at FT. Carson driving an ambulance as an EMT/LPN and preventing people from becoming road kill.  Nothing like running red at 120 mph in those old cruisers with the 455 engine. I have the utmost respect for any vet from any era and now that is serving their country.  I was in the 4th Infantry Division - same dudes who caught Saddam.  Met a lot of great people during my time in the Army. (Carol and Roy Lewis, Wayne Arnold, Don Evans, Larry Ohnesorgie et al). I got selected to go to West Point which is a real hard thing to do when you're a boot and don't have an appointment. After a lot of soul searching, I decided an Army career wasn't for me so I put my years in and got out.  It was a very valuable experience though and I'm glad I did it.

After dicking around at the U of Mn studying chemistry and doing pre-med, I was fortunate enough to marry my wife Laura of 32 yrs.  Her contribution then to my career was to get me thinking about what I really wanted to do and to allow me to pursue my desires.  So I dropped the U and went to a private school called Northwestern Electronics Institute (NEI) and received a first rate electronics education.  Got my AAS and a 1st Class Commercial FCC license (for radio and TV broadcasting) and went to work for Honeywell doing industrial control engineering and maintenance.  I worked on a very early version of an internet like product in the late '70's - designing control layouts and specifying systems for buildings.  We networked buildings for HVAC controls via telephone leased lines to a central hub computer center. The computer operator back at the office could then monitor and control just about anything wired into the system.  Very ancient now but very cool.  Currently, one Honeywell center in GA controls thousands of office and industrial buildings across the US.

My wife has supported me every step of the way in my career since then.  She even went to school to get a degree in Robotics which is heavy on electronics so that she could work with me. I'd probably be living in a dump somewhere and swilling beer without her non-nagging support.

During this time in the late 70's and early 80's, I was active in consumer electronics for repair (everyone wants you to fix their stuff - and for free!) and kit building as a hobby.  Built my own mono-amps and pre-amps and modified existing amps.  Some of the gear was from a company called South West Technical Products (SWTP).  Guess they went out of business long ago.  I did this for the love of amp design and also cuz it was lots cheaper than buying the gear that I am now selling!  I used the 90 watt mono-amps with my guitar and some guys that I'd play with on weekends. Worked good til I turned 'em up to '11' (Spinal Tap - what a hoot!) and blew 'em out.

Did a turn at NEI teaching basic and industrial electronics for two yrs.  Was a blast but didn't pay much.  So I had to find a better paying job and went to work for a company called GCA (now called PaR) down in Shoreview, MN.

Taught at GCA for six months on their overhead gantry and pedestal robots.  Learned the products so well they made me an application engineer.  Was fortunate to work on many interesting robot systems as a Project Engineer.  These included handling Ford Taurus bumpers, wiring Super Computers at Control Data (remember them?) and General Dynamics, super-secret B2 stealth bomber work (had to have a guard escort you to the bathroom with an M16 machine gun - not much fun especially when it's a gal MP) and a bunch of other crazy projects, some of which if I told you about, the govt would have you killed (kidding).

Also taught for seven yrs at a MN state tech college teaching robotics and automation.  Was good work until the state screwed it up by changing it from a vo-tech to a college. But it turned out well for me as I'm doing what I want and having a blast! (Former students - send me an email and let me know what yer doing).

I've had my own robot company with my wife Laura since 1990 designing robotic systems for manufacturing.  Some of these include x-ray inspection of car parts, CNC machine loading, hot-shot aluminum ladling, 2100 degree hot metal forming with robots and robotic routing. 

Every Polaris sled, jet ski, ATV, Satellite urinal (the part where you pee was cut out by my  robots :) ), Coleman generator (Y2K mania), and many other consumer products has had a hole cut in it by my robots.  Cool huh?  You can check all that out at www.urcautomation.com if'n u like.

Click to enlarge above picture.  I made the sign "Reel Fun" for the boat.

In the Minnesota area I've designed and built robot routers and CNC robot machine loaders for the plastics industry.  Most of the Rigid and Craftsman screwdrivers over the past 6 yrs have been made by my robot systems.  Just finished  an 8-axis machining system for processing 20-foot fuel tanks for F-18 Hornet aircraft that I designed and built myself.  Robots put the food on my table, not audio gear. 

I do the audio gear out of love for the vintage equipment and want to pass it on to other people.

I have a design studio and fabrication shop on my property.  My wife Laura has an AAS degree in Robotics and works with me on the audio gear.

My part-time interests are photographing and producing automation videos, writing web-sites, amateur still photography, play and produce music, target-shooting,  woodworking, remodeling houses (on number 5), fishing and boating (got a huge Lund w/ stern-drive and kicker motor) and some artwork.  As time goes on, I may blather on about my interests and share some of my experiences.   Randy

Reed