A CH7A PLT PRACTICES LNDG WITHOUT USING THE XPONDER WITHIN THE 30 NM MODE C VEIL IN THE DENVER CLASS 'B.'

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TKOF AND LNDG PRACTICE WERE CONDUCTED WITHOUT THE XPONDER OPERATING. THE XPONDER IN THIS CITABRIA REQUIRES THAT A TOGGLE SWITCH ON THE L OVERHEAD PANEL BE 'ON;' AS WELL AS THE INTEGRAL RADIO SWITCH BEING IN THE 'ALT' POS; TO HAVE THE XPONDER OPERATE. DURING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST; THE SWITCH INTEGRAL TO THE RADIO WAS TURNED ON; BUT THE WRONG TOGGLE SWITCH WAS TURNED ON; RESULTING IN THE XPONDER NOT BEING ON. THIS SIT BOILS DOWN TO THE FACT THAT I MADE A MISTAKE; BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF INTERESTING CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: 1) THE TOGGLE SWITCHES ARE ABOVE; AND BEHIND; THE FRONT SEAT PLT'S HEAD; MAKING THEM HARD TO SEE AND IDENT IN THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES. 2) WHEN WEARING A PARACHUTE AND WITH THE HARNESS CINCHED TIGHT; IT IS A STRETCH TO TURN AROUND FAR ENOUGH TO CLEARLY READ THE SWITCH PLACARDS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR WEARERS OF BIFOCALS.; BECAUSE THE AWKWARD HEAD POS FORCES ONE TO LOOK OUT THE EDGE OF THE GLASSES; NOT THE CENTER; MAKING IT HARDER TO FOCUS. 3) SWITCHES IN THIS ACFT ARE LABELED 'RADIO 1;' 'RADIO 2;' ETC; NOT WITH THE NAME OF THE ACTUAL RADIO BEING SWITCHED. 4) DURING TKOF AND LNDG PRACTICE IN A TAILWHEEL ACFT; ATTN WAS FOCUSED EVERYWHERE EXCEPT THE 'REPLY' LIGHT OF THE XPONDER. ALSO; THERE WAS NO INTERACTION WITH ATC. THIS MEANT THE PROB WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL POSTFLT SHUTDOWN. I WILL EVALUATE MAKING CHANGES TO THE SEQUENCE IN WHICH I PERFORM THE TASKS ON MY PRINTED BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST; PRIMARILY HAVING TO DO WITH SEATBELT TIGHTENING; AND WILL BE MORE POSITIVE IN MYCOCKPIT.