[Elecraft] RE: Dumb mistakes I have made

[Alva Anderson W5VCJ]

Though it is a bit OT, most of us have been doing things with electronics
most of our lives, and I thought you'd find it funny anyway.

Years ago, about 30 to be exact, I used to align a high speed microfilming
machine made by Stromberg Datagraphics. The phospher tube was mounted
vertically at one end, and driven by a 25KV power supply. There were two
power switches on the unit: one labelled "DC Power", the other "Printhead
power". Power, deflection and rotation were all supplied at the back
(bottom) of the tube by a circular harness. Every so often, the vibration
from the cooling fans would cause the yoke to work lose just enough that the
vectors and/or characters that appeared on the tube face would become
unstable. All you had to do was turn off the DC Power, open the cabinet,
lean the tube out against its stop, walk around back, and reach under and
push the yoke firmly back onto the bottom of the tube. You've probably
already surmised, that I turned off the Printhead Power instead of the DC.

Well, all I remember is "waking up" about 4 feet behind the machine, with my
back up against the wall. When the daze started to wear off, I was aware of
my right index finger hurting, and when I looked at it, it had "grown" a
cone-shaped growth of skin maybe 1/2" long right about on the 2 joint. No
long term harm was done if you exclude a bruised ego, and somewhat bruised
back from hitting the wall...and the finger hurt like the devil. That and
about an hours worth of the "shakes".

I STILL have a great respect for power supplies!

Andy W5VCJ