In Circuit Cellar February 2012 (Issue 259), we feature a recent interview with Chris Gammell, the multitalented engineer who co-hosts The Amp Hour with Dave Jones. Chris tells us about his designs, workspace, podcasts, and much more. Here’s an excerpt:
NAN: What was the impetus for starting your radio show, The Amp Hour (www.theamphour.com) which you co-host with Dave Jones of the EEVblog?
CHRIS: I’m a member of the online community reddit, and actually an administrator of the ECE sub-group (http://reddit.com/r/ECE). Two years ago, there was a request on the site for podcasts and blogs featuring electronics, because the submitter wanted to learn more while in the car and on their bike. I tried a podcast by myself and it was dreadful. But once I posted it, Dave Jones happened to hear it and suggested we give it a shot together. We didn’t have much of a plan at first, just to get on the line and shoot the breeze for an hour or so. After the first two episodes, we began soliciting our listeners and Dave’s regular viewers for a name for the show. One of our listeners suggested “The Amp Hour” and it’s been roughly an hour-long show every week since. It’s one of my favorite times of the week and I’m so glad I have been able to continue doing the show, 70-some episodes later. If your readers haven’t had a chance to listen, I hope they will at some point in the future. I personally think the best time to listen to the show is on the way to or from work, or while sitting at your bench soldering.
NAN: Some recent Amp Hour interviewees included: Jeff Keyzer of the blog MightyOhm.com (December 2011); John Edmond, co-founder and director of Advanced Optoelectronics Technology at Cree (November 2011); and Joe Grand, president of Grand Idea Studio and a former member of the legendary hacker collective L0pht Heavy Industries (September 2011). How do you decide who to feature on the show? Can you tell us who has been your favorite or most memorable guest?
CHRIS: Your embedded programming readers out there undoubtedly know Jack Ganssle, who was a guest on our show. It was a ton of fun trading stories with him and hearing how the computer industry used to be driven by the demands of the… ahem…online adult industry. But really, all of our guests have been amazing. We choose guests who not only have interesting stories and work but also can chat about the weekly news and who enjoy electronics. I’m sure a couple of members of the Circuit Cellar audience will be in our sights as potential guests in the future!
To read the entire article, go to CC-Access.
