Help for bad eyes

Last week, when I was building that QRPGuys antenna circuit board, I found out how really bad my eyes have gotten. Placing components was not a problem; but soldering was. I currently wear bifocals, but the "close up" part of them is meant for reading, with the reading material being held at a normal distance. For very close up work, like soldering and inspecting solder joints, my normal prescription is just about useless. So I built without my glasses. I can see well close up without them; but I have to get uncomfortably close - my face has to be RIGHT IN THERE, and I get concerned that that's a little too close for safety.

W3BBO to the rescue!  Bob recommended something to me that I had never even thought of before:

During one of our weekly Skype sessions, we had talked about this very subject. That's when Bob recommended buying a pair of drug store "readers" for the very close up work.  Strangely enough, as an eyeglass wearer, the thought never occurred to me. My normal eyeglasses should be good enough - no? I guess I'm not that much of an "outside the box" thinker.

They have them at the ShopRite where I do our grocery shopping, so last Saturday, I bought a pair. They are of medium magnification, only +1.5 - but they made all the difference in the world! I am now able to get my face right at a comfortable distance from my working area without squinting or getting annoyed that I can't see clearly. I still need a magnifying glass for the super tiny print on capacitors; but for all intent and purpose, kit building is no longer an uncomfortable hassle.

The best thing is that they were cheap - only $15.00 for the pair, and I bet I could have found them cheaper had I done a little shopping around. So, if you have the same problem that I had, a small investment can make as much as a difference for you as it did for me.

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!