My name is Tom Alessi and I've been in radio since 1972, when I was 12 years old, and my father brought home an ALL-Band AM Shortwave radio that he won in a raffle. Later that year I saved and bought my first VHF police/fire receiver, a tunable, Radio Shack Pro-2B.
In 1974, at age 14, I received my first FCC Amateur Radio License. A Novice license and my callsign was WN1TNK. In 1975 I received my first FCC Commercial Licenses; a 3rd class Radiotelegraph License and a 3rd Class Radiotelephone License with Broadcast Endorsement.
While in High School I worked at WGCH-AM and WSTC-AM / WYRS-FM as a maintenance engineer, board operator and remote broadcast engineer.
Currently I hold the following licenses and degrees:
Certified Broadcast Technologist, Soc. of Broadcast Engineers (SBE-CBT)
FCC 2nd Class Radiotelegraph Operators Lic. w/Ship Radar (T2)
FCC General Radiotelephone Operators License w/Ship Radar (PG)
FCC Amateur Extra Class Radio Operators License (K1TA)
Certified Electronic Technician License (V2), State of CT
Electrical Journeyman License (L6), State of CT
Associate of Science in Applied Science and Electronic Technology.
I've been a volunteer Firefighter since 1976 at the Belltown Fire Department in Stamford, CT where I have served as Trustee, Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief.
I have been a Member of the Noroton Fire Dept., in Darien, CT since 2002.
1980: Hired by Radio Communications Service, MSS, as a Motorola 2-Way Radio Technician.
1982: Hired by the Stamford Fire Department as Superintendant of Fire Alarms/Communications Technician to service fire alarms and 2-way radios for the City of Stamford, CT.
1985: Hired as a Paid Firefighter / Fire Marshal at the Belltown Station in Stamford.
1988: "On Loan" to the Stamford Fire Department to assisted in building the Stamford 911 Center.
1989: Moved to Stamford 911 full time as their full time, "in-house" Technician.
1990: Supervised the installation of Stamford's GE/EDACS 800MHz Trunked System and maintained the system until October 2000.
1996: Promoted to the 911 Center's Facilities Administator.
February 1998: Named City of Stamford "Employee of the Month" for "Excellence and Dedication".
October 2000: I left the Stamford 911 Center.
October 2000: I took a position at Ascent Media Network Services (previously Group-W Satellite and CBS Viacom), where I was Television Broadcast Senior Engineer at their Glenbrook Earth Station.
June 2008: I started a job with Westchester County Department of Emergency Services (at 60 Control, Valhalla, NY) as their Radio Systems Manager.