50 years in electronics

WASHINGTON - Duane Haifley has worked in the electronics field for 50 years.

Since 1970, Haifley has been working on electronics in Washington and has seen the fast progression first hand.

Haifley started at Mengel Television and worked there for 31 years until it was bought by Kevin Erpelding and turned into Archer Electronics.

'The amount of change I have seen has been fantastic,” Haifley said.

When he started, television had vacuum tubes, then transistors and now integrated circuits. Haifley said the circuits have changed a lot and the way they service has changed.

To keep up with all the changes, Haifley said it was something he had to do because with the amount of change he could be obsolete in a matter of years.

In 2006, the TVs changed to digital, and Haifley had to make changes and attend classes held by TV dealers.

'It was one of my biggest changes,” Haifley said. 'The rest I made up my mind to study, and I still study my literature.”

Though they used to have twice-yearly training on the new electronics, Haifley said now companies don't offer that type of training.

Another big change included the addition of internet.

Business has stayed pretty good over the years Haifley said, and the store continues to sell a lot of appliances.

A lot of service shops are gone, Haifley said. Many times people do not get their appliances fixed anymore and instead buy new products.

In the past, VCR's were $1,300, and people would get them repaired but now DVRs are easy to replace, Haifley said.

At Archer Appliance, Haifley does repairs, antenna work, helps with deliveries, installs satellite or cameras in new homes and helps unload new appliances.

Haifley recalled in 1998 when straight line winds went through Washington. He and Erpelding spent every morning until it started to snow putting up new antennas.

'It's been my life all these years,” Haifley said.

Haifley said he hasn't retired because he likes it, and it is something that grew on him. At 72, he said as long as he has his health he plans on continuing to do it.

If he were to retire, Haifley said he said he wouldn't be as involved with the new products coming out and would miss out.

'I like getting up and coming to work,” Haifley said.