Volunteer of the Month
August 2000
Les Hudson
by Ralph Cherry

Alamo PC Organization: HOME > About Us > Awards > Volunteers Of The Month
 
 
Let's see what we have here: anti-submarine warfare, glowing in the dark, thousands of microphones, Deputy Director, and IBD — sounds like an interesting life story to me! They say every life has a story, and I'm constantly amazed at what I discover when I interview Alamo PC Volunteers for these articles. Les Hudson is one of those that surprised me. I had no idea he was an authority on anti-submarine warfare, or that he glowed in the dark or that he had a Dream Machine — but I'm getting ahead of myself! Let's start at the beginning.

Les Hudson spent 20 years and one day (!) In the Navy, and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. During that time he was involved in the training of jet fighter pilots and of submarine commanders. I find it mind boggling that he taught anti-submarine warfare to the pilots, and then switched sides and taught the submarine commanders how to attack targets and how to outmaneuver jet pilots. He also worked in a nuclear powered submarine shipyard, crawling through every nook and cranny, but claims that he doesn't actually glow in the dark (any more!).

Another fact I didn't know (did you?) Was that submarines have thousands of mikes all over the ship, and several hundred just in a sphere in a cone at the bow of the ship. The mikes are for listening for enemy submarines.

Les also worked in radio and TV repair, but says that he's now more interested in the software than the hardware. At one point his job was to repair and modify receivers, transmitters and multi-million dollar computers. He is also an amateur radio operator and holds an advanced license from the FCC.

Les has now retired from the Navy and also from Civil Service. He has two hobbies that keep him pretty occupied — computers and the stock market. He started out with a Commodore 64 and used it (working with his wife Gladine) to help in their grandson's private school. They would find out the lesson topics for that week and bring the Commodore and some games related to that topic. It was apparently very effective and lots of fun for the elementary students.

Les likes to use online resources and also the IBD (Investors Business Daily) for stockmarket strategy and online trading, and attends the Financial / Investing SIG on the 3rd Saturday of each month.

Les joined APCO 8 years ago when he first came to San Antonio. He attended all the SIGs he could, working toward becoming proficient with the personal computer. When SeniorComp started up, he became the Deputy Director and taught the first two classes. In the recent remodeling, he help with the cabling in the new lab.

I can't end this description of the life of Les Hudson without telling you about his Dream Machine. His current main computer is a 700 MHz Dell with a 21" monitor and a cable modem. Now is that a Dream Machine or what?