[UK-CONTEST] Bencher paddle problem

[Paul Higginson]

Ian White GM3SEK wrote:
> Somewhere in the years of commuting between England and Scotland 
> (thankfully now over) the dot paddle of my BY-1 must have had a knock. 
> Nothing is visibly bent or broken, but very occasionally the paddle 
> jumps to a different position and sends intermittent strings of dots in 
> mid-QSO... as if my sending wasn't embarrassing enough already.
> 
> I can't see or feel any obvious cause, but suspect that one of the metal 
> spikes has dug into its plastic insert, creating two microscopically 
> different pivot points.
> 
> Bencher have supplied a diagram and parts list for the BY-1, but I'm not 
> sure which bits to order.
> 
> Any experience of this problem, please?
> 
> 

Check for clearance between the small adjusting screw at the bottom of 
the semi circular ring attached to the paddle. There has to be a good 
gap at all angles of operation and this can make the paddle feel odd and 
cause erratic sending. Of course I have a list of other excuses for poor 
cw from my bencher but they are not related to the mechanics of 
construction ;-)

-- 
73 de Paul GW8IZR IO73TI   |
http://www.gw8izr.com      |