Who’s Who?

I worked for Yamaha Corp for 5 years in the electronics division. Then in the Motorcycle division. Yea I know Yamaha does not make Car Audio Systems, Don't ask me why I have no idea.

I know work for myself as a commercial electricain in the Dallas area.

I work on peoples car audio/Electrical systems that get so fried from poor installs I should open a shop I get so many calls. I just like working with Audio Systems since I was a kid. Never have reached that holly grail sound system yet I try to learn something new everyday that I can use down the road "Where ever that may lead".

My name is Doyle Smith, I live in nice hot Texas near Dallas. I am 30 yrs old on the 5th and have been doing audio since I got my first car at 17--- blew up alot of stuff learning the hard way...I have been interested in electronics since I was about 4 . I am married and have two kids. I do have a degree in electronics, but I work as an engineer. I have always had systems in every car I have had, and out of them, almost all have been broken into and equipment stolen. As I am older I learn ---if the want it, they will take it , I just make it hell on them now.. :) I really like this site and I enjoy learning more... I still at this age do not know what I want to do...I also do systems for my friends on the side and... have a small business doing repairs in houses...   I wanted to say Hi to everyone on this site... Thanks for keeping it up....

John Bauer, from Paducah, KY.  28 years old and have been installing since I was 16.  I currently work swing shift at a Uranium Enrichment Facility.  The schedule keeps me working 15-16 days a month.  On my off time, I travel to car dealers in town and do keyless entries, remote starts, video, and car audio work.  I also work out of my garage by "word-of-mouth".  I average about 15-20 cars per month with no advertising or footwork.  The dealers keep me busy, plus when one customer shows off his new toy that I installed, his friend calls, then his friend and so on.

I also work with my parents with their business.  They own www.stevescartshop.com.  We sell golf cart accessories.  There are a few carts in town that we have done video systems on, but nothing too elaborate yet.  Lots of cd players/speaker installs though. 

I worked for a couple shops before I started this job I have now.  The first was Long Run Audio, which I worked at for two years.  They did high-end home, and car audio.  The next was Sound Gallery.  I worked there for 4 years and was mentored by one of the area's smartest installers.  He taught me everything I know about alarms/keylesses.  He currently works as an installer for Circuit City here in Paducah. 

This has been a great site full of information for me.  It's a very useful key on some of the newer vehicles. 

My turn, I guess...

I'm Ron, I'm 38 years old, and have been doing installs for about 22 years. when I was 15 or so, My older brother took me for a ride in his new car. He just got done putting a system in it. He had the old pioneer amp/eq, with the uv meter on the front, you know the one I mean!! We were Bangin' in that old car! well, that was it for me. The bug bit, and I haven't been able to get away ever since. I started like most do, family and friends installs, and a whole sh*tload of reading books, magazines, ect... No formal education. Opened my own business in 1990, and gave up in 1994 for personal reasons. well, in 2004, my personal reasons got thrown out of the house, and I dove back in without her!!

I competed this year with SLAP, and did a few custom installs, and I hope to open up another install joint by the end of this year.

Hey everyone

There's some knowledge up in here for real. Props to all those that have introduced themselves thus far. My name's Nixon, 30.Been installing here in Oz for 7 years. The first audio sales company i worked for in 97/98 started courses for installers (basics in electronics etc etc) so they could claim their installers were the only qualified ones in Australia. Courses didn't last long. Guess it had something to do with government funding. Got as many certificates as was available though. And like many of you have stated, the courses don't make u an installer. Ain't nothing like hands on experience.

Anyway I trained under a lotta knowledgeable guys here and have installed a lot of audio, built boxes(MDF-have done minimal work with fibreglass), door trims/pods, fit alarms, cdl, starters, visual over the years(a lotta a/v especially in the last 1-2 years) and still find myself scratching my head sometimes. 12volt is a godsend..it has helped me out more than a few times.

that's it for me..good lookin out everyone..peace

how much are the MECP courses anyway? The fabricating part of the course sounds interesting.

     thad