# An Interview with Forrest Mims - Snell Solisequious Scientist

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2013-11-13
- Length: 1h 32m
- Episode: 171
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/171-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist/

## Summary

Forrest Mims, the prolific electronics author and amateur atmospheric scientist, discusses his journey from building early rocket flashers to co-founding MITS, the company that produced the Altair 8800. He details the creation of his hand-lettered Radio Shack books, the technical challenges of long-term scientific instrumentation using LEDs, and his controversial work exposing errors in NASA satellite data. Mims also reflects on the decline of hobby electronics, the rise of the maker movement, and his current research into atmospheric optics.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=0) Introduction and Early Electronics
- [5:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=324) Vietnam, Rockets, and Founding MITS
- [11:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=660) The Altair, Popular Electronics, and Bill Gates
- [22:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=1360) Writing Radio Shack Books and Piracy
- [32:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=1935) Transition to Amateur Atmospheric Science
- [39:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=2346) Long-Term Instrumentation and LED Stability
- [47:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=2858) NASA Satellite Error and Nature Publication
- [54:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=3241) Climate Models, Water Vapor, and Air Quality
- [1:03:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=3785) Amateur Scientists and Robotics Competitions
- [1:14:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-13-an-interview-with-forrest-mims-snell-solisequious-scientist#t=4452) Altair Legacy, Bell Labs Lawsuit, and Maker Movement

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- MITS (company)
- Altair 8800 (product)
- Popular Electronics (other)
- Radio Shack (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Ed Bonin (other)
- Ed Roberts (other)
- Bill Gates (other)
- Paul Allen (other)
- Scientific American (other)
- Nature (other)
- NASA (company)
- Make Magazine (other)
- Nuts and Volts (other)
- 555 timer (chip)
- Hans Camenzind (other)
- Steve Wozniak (other)
- Bell Labs (company)
- Western Electric (company)
- Atari Punk Console (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [124: Please Don't Light Yourself on Fire (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-11-29-124-please-dont-light-yourself-on-fire-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [302: Worst Book Ever](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-09-05-302-worst-book-ever) (Embedded.fm)
- [124: Please Don't Light Yourself On Fire](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-11-05-124-please-dont-light-yourself-on-fire) (Embedded.fm)
- [76: Entropy Is for Wimps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-11-12-76-entropy-is-for-wimps) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep 350: Damnation for Spreadsheets, Praise for Haiku, and Admiration for the Hacks In Between](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-12-19-ep-350-damnation-for-spreadsheets-praise-for-haiku-and-admiration-for-the-hacks) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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