The Electronics Diagnostician

In stark contrast to the separate avenues found in present day electronics this was, years ago, a relatively general field of engineering with little specialisation of any particular facet. The modern electronics diagnostician walks in the footsteps of these forefathers by maintaining a firm knowledge of the basics while understanding their application in all evolving sectors.

From the beginning of the 1980's electronics started undergoing a change from general to extremely specialised and the speed of this change has increased as each year has passed. Today there are many fields within the electronics arena. So diverse are these fields that two people, each from separate areas, may find little common ground on which to relate to each other.

Magazines and related publications lagged behind this change and for some time there were still a large number in print offering a broad range of ideas and circuits for information and experimentation. Having this information readily available enticed people into the world of electronics. This has recently changed. There are now very few magazines, most having disappeared shortly after having become extremely theoretical with little or no practical ideas or circuits. Some of the remaining have noticed the error of their ways and are trying to slowly reintroduce the experimental angle but it’s almost a case of "too late".

This has left a noticeable gap in the field of electronics, and the area where the electronics diagnostician is of greatest importance. The most common role being one of problem locating, specifically when multiple specialities are involved and the mixing of them causes conflict. The final phase being to create a platform for a solution to be provided. Seldom is the final solution provided by the electronics diagnostician but a clear path towards a solution is always distinctly mapped.

As the various sectors specialise even further, probably fragmenting into even smaller and more intense areas of expertise, the call of the "general practitioner" of electronics will become even greater. As is the need for those who specialise, there exists as great a need for a those who maintain links between them. The electronics diagnostician prides on being a master of one trade….. this being the Jack of all.

Marc Dekenah.