Where In The World Is Sum1?

Working From Home & Frankfort, Ky

Locale: Home in Illinois, and Frankfort, Ky

Week of: 4/10 & 4/17/2023

         Wow, I missed posting about working from home!  So this post will cover the last two weeks.

         The week of 4/10 was a significant week for me.  Significant in that it was the first week of 2023 that I was at home and not traveling.  Yes, I had a 2 week vacation at the end of February, but we traveled the whole time, so no rest for me then.  I must say it was nice to sit at home and work.  Yeah, I had the week 'off', but that just means I wasn't delivering a class.  I wasn't on PTO, so I had to work.  Besides, I had to edit existing course materials for 2 upcoming classes.  The Networking classes I teach are centered around what is called a Trunking System.  And while I created one for Conventional Systems, it was centered around a system having a Conventional Core (or Master Site).  The class I will deliver in 3 weeks does not have a Core, it's just a system of IP based radios connected using Ethernet, so a pretty good size modification was needed.  I also have a class on Conventional Consoles (Do you see a trend here?  Everything Conventional... ).  And of course, we have no course materials for that.  You might ask why?  Well, we make the most money on Trunked System classes because they are in high demand.  For that main reason, all our course material revolves around a Trunked System.  I've been saying we need Conventional Courseware for years, and now we're starting to be asked for more and more Conventional System classes.  Since I deliver the greater majority of them, you know who it falls to when it comes to editing course materials.  You might ask, what's difference between Trunked and Conventional Systems?  To truly explain it would take quite the page or 10.  But I'll give you a short Analogy that hopefully will explain it.

         Think about a grocery store, and waiting in line to checkouf.  If you're in a store where you get line and wait for your line to move (say you're at register #3), you wait until the cashier finishes with the customer in front of you before you can get your groceries bagged and paid for.    Now, change it around.  This time you're still in a grocery store, but now you are all in one line.  The next available cashier is the one you end up going to, you're not locked into one line.  The one line scenario (register #3) is Conventional, the one line with the next available cashier scenario is Trunking.  The next cashier scenario is more efficient than being stuck in line for one cashier.  That's how the two types of radio systems operate.

         So I spent the whole week editing Powerpoint slides for the Networking class, as well as the lab guide,  I removed all reference to Trunking Systems and substituted Conventional drawings and hands-on activities.  I did about the same for the upcoming Console class.  This took about 30 hours to accomplish, but at least it's ready.  Now to see if it all flows smoothly in class next week, and the week of 5/7 in NYC.  I'm also waiting for a co-worker to edit a class he is responsible for.  I have to deliver a one- day class in Little Rock and the New Orleans area (Gretna) the week of 5/1.  He's working hard on it, but him and I had the busiest delivery schedule in the first quarter.  I will most likely get the files late next week, and deliver it on Monday & Wednesday the following week.  We'll see how that goes of course.

         The class in Frankfort went well last week.  Their system is unique, that's for sure.  They definitely don't have a typical Motorola Radio System, so understanding it is paramount.  The three days of class were mainly all software and how to configure the Core devices.  The manager told me they learned an awful lot in that time, but wants me to review a bit next week for the 2 techs who missed the week.  We'll probably do that Monday, then go from there.  I'm not worried about it. at least it's a subject I'm very familiar with.

         Upcoming classes.  Week of:

4/24:  Frankfort Ky

5/1:  Little Rock Arkansas and Gretna Louisiana (Monday & Wednesday)

5/8:  NYC (Queens) 

5/15:  NYC (Brooklyn)  a Two-Day class

5/22:  Work from home/Doctors appts (Scheduled class has been delayed until December)

5/29:  Memorial Day week, meetings all week.  Either online or in Schaumburg

6/5:  Schaumburg

6/12:  NYC (Queens)

6/19:  Wyoming (Three Day Class)

6/26:  Teach from home

In Closing

         I will drive to Frankfort tomorrow, then to Little Rock and Gretna the following week.  Until next time, be good to those you love, spoil them, and write!


Jim Dorrell