Ralph Simons finds immense joy and purpose in his involvement with Makers Mill. For him, winter is a cherished season, offering ample indoor time to pursue a diverse range of hobbies, from ham radio and microcontroller electronics to computer programming and delving into crime fiction, especially works by Maine author Paul Doiron. Daily, he enjoys a friendly game of King’s Cribbage with his wife, Holly, an accomplished musician.
While he doesn’t have pets, he genuinely appreciates the furry companions that enrich the lives of others. A fascinating personal detail is that Ralph was born and raised in the Philippines before moving to the U.S. for college. Though retired for about a decade, his passion for technology means he frequently assists others with their tech needs, having recently served as the audio-visual specialist for a local church, including live sound mixing and streaming the Sunday services.
A significant part of Ralph’s professional background includes 26 years as an electronics engineer, working on the cesium atomic clocks that timed the original GPS satellites. Interestingly, he recently discovered that fellow Makers Mill member Kurt Kaiser worked in a parallel industry, developing rubidium atomic clocks that later replaced the timing in all GPS satellites. What were once competitive paths have now converged into a collaborative spirit at Makers Mill.
Ralph’s introduction to Makers Mill came through local ads for career counseling. He was motivated to get involved to help his son-in-law, a recent immigrant from Ukraine, find resources in Wolfeboro for his new profession as a general handyman. Since joining, he has delved into exciting projects, intensely studying and programming the Arduino microcontroller and its applications, and currently learning to program the Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP) robot.
He firmly believes Makers Mill makes a profound impact by providing an essential space for individuals with shared creative interests and passions to connect, create, and share. This environment has injected a new wave of enthusiasm for his own interests and for interacting with both fellow makers and the broader community. Above all, Ralph’s highest value is a commitment to loving and respecting people, striving to prioritize that above all else within the Makers Mill community.