[Elecraft] NorCal Paddles Intermittant Contacts

[Bob Patten]

What this discussion has failed to note is that in some (perhaps most) 
cases, the problem is not the contacts
at all, but rather the bearings.  When I built two of these paddles back 
when they were initially offered, both
exhibited the "intermittant contacts" syndrome.  As soon as I heard 
about them, I ordered and installed the
silvered relay contacts in both paddles, but they continued to show the 
same symptoms.

The Arizona ScQRPions apparently experienced the same problem with the 
NorCal paddle and incorporated
a fix in the offering of their own paddle kit.  I built one of their 
paddles and found that the contacts were 100%
reliable.  Shortly thereafter, I "borrowed" their idea and used it on 
the NorCal paddle.  I drilled two small holes
through the base, directly behind the bearings.  I soldered single 
strands from stranded hookup wire to the under-
side of each arm in line with the newly drilled holes.  The wires are 
fed through the holes, the arms are re-mounted
on their bearings, and the other ends of the wires are soldered to the 
ground lug on the underside of the base.
This completely solved my "intermittant contacts" problem!

More recently, my friend W4OV managed to find an unbuilt NorCal kit and 
put it together.  He found he was
having the same problem with the contacts.  He also ordered a set of the 
silvered relay contacts, but has yet
to install them.  But he did do the mod I described above, and it also 
cured his problem.

-- 
73,     Bob Patten, N4BP                Plantation, FL

E-Mail: n4bp at arrl.net                   Website: http://www.qsl.net/n4bp
QRP ARCI #3412    SOC #1    ARS #799    Whiners #6   FISTS #7871