I like to use a foot switch to key up my transmitter, especially during
contesting when I use a combination earphone/mic headset (Heil Pro-Set).

The problem is that the foot switch tends to get kicked around under the
operating position, finally getting lost just when you hear that new
double-double multiplier in zone 39!

Well, radiomen aren't the only ones to use foot switches, as my lovely XYL K0CKB
pointed out to me. One of her other hobbies is sewing, and seamstresses use a
foot switch all the time, presumably also losing their switch at the worst
possible time. Unlike radiomen, seamstresses did something about it. She sent me
down to the local fabric emporium and told me to ask for a "Pedal Sta-II". You
can see/buy it on the web at http://www.pedal-sta.com/pedal-sta.html. No more
lost foot switch (and multiplier) in the heat of the battle!

73, de Hans, K0HB

Grand Exhalted Liberator of the Fumes of Solder
--
Homepage:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~k0hb
Member:
ARRL http://www.arrl.org
SOC http://www.qsl.net/soc
VWOA http://www.vwoa.org
A-1 Operator Club http://www.arrl.org/awards/a1-op/
TCDXA http://www.tcdxa.org
MWA http://www.w0aa.org
TCFMC http://www.tcfmc.org
FISTS http://www.fists.org
LVDXA http://www.upstel.net/borken/lvdxa.htm
NCI http://www.nocode.org

Hans:

If your shack is carpeted, just purchase some "velcro" tape. It comes in two parts,
the hook side and the loop side. You can get it with a "peel and stick" adhesive
back. Just cut a couple of strips of the Hook side to the length of your
footswitch, and stick them on the bottom. On a cut-pile carpet, it has enough grab
to stay put, and on commercial style or full loop carpets, it sticks really well and
you have to crawl under the table to reposition it. Either way, it keeps the
footswitch from wandering around on you.

If you have a tiled or vinyl floor, a couple of strips of soft foam rubber (like
closed cell neoprene as is used in wet suits, but without the fabric) will help keep
the footswitch from moving around, but it's not nearly as effective as velcro on a
carpet.

Another thing that can help is to insert a "wye" in the cable and add a hand switch
on top of the operating table that you can grab if you can't find the footswitch.
Not nearly as effective as capturing the footswitch (at least for me) but I've used
it during field day for the people that aren't used to using a footswitch...

Good Luck
--Rick AH7H

"KØHB" wrote:

I like to use a foot switch to key up my transmitter, especially during
contesting when I use a combination earphone/mic headset (Heil Pro-Set).

The problem is that the foot switch tends to get kicked around under the
operating position, finally getting lost just when you hear that new
double-double multiplier in zone 39!

Well, radiomen aren't the only ones to use foot switches, as my lovely XYL K0CKB
pointed out to me. One of her other hobbies is sewing, and seamstresses use a
foot switch all the time, presumably also losing their switch at the worst
possible time. Unlike radiomen, seamstresses did something about it. She sent me
down to the local fabric emporium and told me to ask for a "Pedal Sta-II". You
can see/buy it on the web at http://www.pedal-sta.com/pedal-sta.html. No more
lost foot switch (and multiplier) in the heat of the battle!

73, de Hans, K0HB

Grand Exhalted Liberator of the Fumes of Solder
--
Homepage:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~k0hb
Member:
ARRL http://www.arrl.org
SOC http://www.qsl.net/soc
VWOA http://www.vwoa.org
A-1 Operator Club http://www.arrl.org/awards/a1-op/
TCDXA http://www.tcdxa.org
MWA http://www.w0aa.org
TCFMC http://www.tcfmc.org
FISTS http://www.fists.org
LVDXA http://www.upstel.net/borken/lvdxa.htm
NCI http://www.nocode.org

I like to key the transmitter with a switch between my teeth and then I sit
on the microphone.

That way, I am free to talk out of my ass like I usually do.


"KØHB" wrote in message
k.net...
I like to use a foot switch to key up my transmitter, especially during
contesting when I use a combination earphone/mic headset (Heil Pro-Set).

The problem is that the foot switch tends to get kicked around under the
operating position, finally getting lost just when you hear that new
double-double multiplier in zone 39!

Well, radiomen aren't the only ones to use foot switches, as my lovely XYL
K0CKB pointed out to me. One of her other hobbies is sewing, and
seamstresses use a foot switch all the time, presumably also losing their
switch at the worst possible time. Unlike radiomen, seamstresses did
something about it. She sent me down to the local fabric emporium and told
me to ask for a "Pedal Sta-II". You can see/buy it on the web at
http://www.pedal-sta.com/pedal-sta.html. No more lost foot switch (and
multiplier) in the heat of the battle!

73, de Hans, K0HB

Grand Exhalted Liberator of the Fumes of Solder
--
Homepage:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~k0hb
Member:
ARRL http://www.arrl.org
SOC http://www.qsl.net/soc
VWOA http://www.vwoa.org
A-1 Operator Club http://www.arrl.org/awards/a1-op/
TCDXA http://www.tcdxa.org
MWA http://www.w0aa.org
TCFMC http://www.tcfmc.org
FISTS http://www.fists.org
LVDXA http://www.upstel.net/borken/lvdxa.htm
NCI http://www.nocode.org