FROM A HOD TO AN ODD EM WAVE
By: D. A. Weston
From a hod
To
An odd EM wave
A memoir of Engineering Persistence and Human Discovery.
A remarkable Journey from the UK via Germany, USA, Taiwan and Canada.
David. A. Weston
Description
A memoir of Engineering Persistence and Human Discovery. Reminiscences on the human dimension of an engineering career. Charts an unconventional engineering career spanning multiple continents and decades, offering insights rarely found in traditional engineering literature. It starts at the age of 15 on a building site in England and ends, as described by a reviewer, as a distinguished engineer. A reviewer describes it as both heart warming and heart breaking. It serves as an inspiration and a practical roadmap.
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Book Reviews: "From a Hod To An Odd EM Wave" by D.A. Weston
Beginning with humble origins as a construction labourer in post war Britain (on the hod), it takes readers through a progression from radio and television repair to sophisticated electronic design and work on NASA’s Canadarm and aircraft systems.
The career trajectory serves as both inspiration and a practical roadmap for engineers at various career stages, although it also holds considerable interest for the general reader.
What distinguishes this memoir is an unflinching focus on the human dimension of engineering practice. It documents the personalities, workplace politics, and ethical challenges that shape technical work. An account of Rudolf Vrba, one of only four people people to escape Auschwitz, and working alongside him, at the Medical Research Council, is both heart warming as well as heart breaking.
Particularly valuable are the first hand accounts of technological developments from the 1960s through the 2000s. The description of early EEG techniques, deep-sea diving communications, and the Canadian Space Program’s contribution to the Space Shuttle and the Space Station descriptions the younger engineers might not encounter elsewhere. The international experience, spanning the UK, Germany, the USA, Taiwan, and Indonesia, offers instructive comparisons of cultures and practices. The book describes innovative approaches to problems such as helium leak detection and Transcutaneous Magnetic Stimulation. From a hod to an odd EM wave succeeds as both a professional memoir and a historical document. It captures the reality of engineering work that textbooks and technical papers rarely address. It provides a valuable perspective on how persistence and adaptability can lead to meaningful contributions.
It shows that engineering is fundamentally a human endeavour.
Professor Alistair Duffy
In "From a Hod to an Odd EM Wave", David A. Weston invites readers into a vivid, deeply personal memoir that weaves together a lifetime of engineering innovation, global experiences, and unforgettable human encounters. From humble beginnings carrying bricks on a construction site in post-war England to groundbreaking work in electromagnetic compatibility, Weston’s career has spanned continents and disciplines. Each chapter is rich with insight, humor, and resilience.
This isn’t just a memoir for engineers. It’s a testament to the social and emotional dimensions of scientific work. Weston candidly explores the people, politics, and persistence behind his contributions — from his time at the Medical Research Council to his leadership at EMC Consulting Inc. Along the way, he shares remarkable stories involving Cold War-era technologies, mental health research, survivor accounts from Auschwitz, and even a child’s ride in a Messerschmitt microcar.
David A. Weston is a certified iNARTE EMC engineer and life member of IEEE, with 55 years of experience in electronic design and over four decades specializing in EMC. He is also the author of the authoritative Electromagnetic Compatibility, Methods, Analysis, Circuits, and Measurement (CRC Press, 2017), now in its third edition.
If you’re looking for a story that goes beyond circuits and shielding to reveal the human spirit behind science, this is it.