Like so many amateurs, I subscribe to free news letters, electronic websites, magazines, and so forth. Invariably due to targeted-marketing, I’ve been asked my name, address, email, and company. Well, I’m President of a non-profit corporation (the Magnolia Intertie Inc.), but other than that, as Professor Emeritus, I really no longer “have” a company address.
But some web database jockeys just won’t take no for an answer…or a blank field. So I often just put Private Lab in the place for a company or organization. The thought was that they’d know that I was only a hobbyist, not influencing a high-dollar sales figure each year or be worth all the targeted marketing that I seem to receive daily. But I do make all management decisions on what I order so sender beware! I began getting stuff in the mail addressed to me at my residence with Private Lab under my name. What’s a ham to do?
When my friend and Elmer, Martin K5FLU, heard I was building an electronics workbench, he said:
“Oh, that’s the fun part of amateur radio!“
I began to call my electronics workbench in the garage my Private Lab. So, I’ll sally forth and melt solder, cut holes, measure stuff, and make things. As the Grand Pouba of Private Lab.