About Alan Thompson

I am a professional technology consultant with over 20 years of satellite communications technology experience in the United States and Mexico. I can speak and write in Spanish, and I specialize in providing HughesNet and VSAT satellite Internet and TV communications technology solutions for the Placerville, El Dorado County and Northern California regions, Baja California Sur, Mexico and Central America. I am available to travel, providing on-site consulting, installation, trubleshooting and repair services for VSAT Satellite Internet Systems.

Professional Background:

• 2005 - Present: Owner and Chief Technical Consultant for Todos Santos Technologies and Baja Satellite TV and Internet, Todos Santos, BCS, Mexico. Providing design, installation and maintenance of satellite TV and Internet communications systems.
• 2002-2005: Director, Information Technology Systems for IntelliQuote, El Dorado Hills, CA. Provided Information systems management and computer network support. Managed Altigen PBX and Voice Over IP System, Microsoft Exchange server manangement, Computer User training and support services.
• 1997-2002: Owner and Chief Technical Consultant for Davis Communications, Davis Ca. Provided web development and Internet communications consulting services.
• 1995 – 1997: Business Development Manager for SimulTrans, Mountain View, Ca. Provided marketing, sales and project management services for computer software translation into multiple languages. .
• 1990-1995: Distribution Channel Manager for Fortuna Communications, Fortuna, Ca. Provided distributor marketing and training services for a national satellite TV communications publication.
• 1985-1989: Distribution Channel Manager / Technical Support Manager for Chaparral Communications, San Jose, Ca. Supervised technical support department for company's satellite communications products. Provided distributor training and marketing services, and product development and technical support of consumer satellite communications products. Managed national trade-show efforts, developed distributor training and sales materials, and conducted over 100 dealer and distributor product training seminars nationwide.
• 1980 – 1985: Owner / Chief Technical Consultant for StarLink Satellite Communications Services – Napa, Ca. Provided residential and commercial sales and installation of satellite TV systems and consumer electronics.

Hardware Expertise

• Communications Technology: Knowledge of design, installation and maintenance of telephone, TV, LAN, surveillance, intercom systems, and low-voltage communications distribution systems, Altigen PBX telephone systems, Voice Over IP phones, RF meters and electronic test gear, wired and wireless routers and access points, and 2.4 GHz point-to-point signal distribution gear, Tx/Rx VSAT satellite Internet data and voice communications systems with iDirect- and HughesNet-based satellite Internet modems and radios.
• Solar: Knowledge of design, installation and maintenance of grid-tied and stand-alone solar PV systems and solar hot-water systems. Familiar with Outback, Xantrex and MorningStar switch gear, metering, controllers and inverter systems using flooded lead-acid and AGM batteries.
• Construction Technology: Knowledge of design, installation and maintenance of residential and commercial electrical distribution systems.

Computer Skills

• Applications: Microsoft Office, Photoshop, HTML Help, Acrobat, Web Authoring Tools, and Internet research tools.
• Hardware: PC and Macintosh hardware and peripherals, IP-based Windows client PC network and server farm management. Configuration of Apache UNIX, Windows NT, MS Exchange and MySQL.
• Languages and Protocols: HTML, CSS and DHTML, JavaScript, ASP and Visual Basic, TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP, and TelNet

Languages

• Fluent English
• Intermediate Spanish

Education and Certificates

• American River College – Electronics and Business Communications
• Napa Valley College – Business Administration
• Folsom Lake College – Internet and Computer Science
• Toastmasters – Certified Public Speaker
• FCC Licensed Technician-class Amateur Radio Operator – WA6ZHL
• California Licensed C-10 Electrical Contractor