[CQ-Contest] Kids, don't try this at home

[Mark Beckwith]

>If someone has a mis-wired paddle and you need to use it without
>rewiring it, just reach across it from the back and key as you
>normally do. With most paddles and adult-sized hands,
>this is not a problem.

When I was 14 years old, using the very Cosmophone 35 which is now on
display in the ARRL museum, I needed my key to key a relay (I was getting
fancy).  Being 14 and lacking resources, I scrounged the relay with the
right number of contacts with a coil that matched a conveniently available
voltage.

120VAC.

I felt sure I would remember this fact and getting my hand across the key
would not be a problem.  I got it all wired up and I don't think it was 5
minutes before my first stupid accident.

Had I been reaching across a paddle, which of course we didn't have in those
days (my weapon of choice was a borrowed Lionel bug [Cosmophone was borrowed
too]), that 5 minutes would probably have come down to about 15 seconds.

Nevertheless, reaching across the paddle is an excellent trick for using a
paddle wired the reverse of how you like it.  It comes in handy at
Multi-Multis, when you're relieving the main op who got up to go to the
bathroom, etc.

At W6UE we actually mounted a micro-toggle DPDT wired with the classic "X"
on the back for reversing the paddles, since it is a club station with many
different operators of different handed-ness.

Some contest software allows for software control of this parameter, for
those wise enough to run their paddles through their software.

N5OT
Certifiable old Geezer carrying the VR6BG stamp of approval