Performing 3D Printer Surgery

All done printing the faceplates!

It has me pinpointed

I filed it down! I'm not an electronics guru so it took me a bit to realize that I just need to manipulate the environment in which the Heltec V3 is going to occupy inside the radio frame. I'm considering using hot glue to help secure the radio in place now that the shelf/lip is gone. We'll see once it's in place, but in the meantime, I need to get a replacement radio.

It has been crazy tonight on 40 meters

After filing the 3D printed buttons down and removing the other shelf, the pressure on the power and reset buttons was relieved enough to tighten the screws and finish assembly. This one is ready to be Bluetoothed to a phone.

Home brew 1/4 wave vertical 2 meter antenna. These are one of the easiest antennas to make yourself, and my very first home brewed antenna.

I crimped thr coupler over the main element and the contact of the SO-239 connector before using some heat shrink for a bit of added structural support. I'm not like all the other high class and fanciful hams, so I used my daughter's hair dryer on high heat to shrink the heat shrink. It worked like a charm!

I'm not a man of great means, so when I look at antennas, like my purchase of the Moonraker GPA-80, I need it to be versatile so I can take it to the field if needed and collapse it relatively fast if needed. I've been eyeballing alot of these telescopic masts but most won't work with the Moonraker, but I still have the field expedient 1/4 wave 40m I made that I could run up a crappie rod which is relatively cheap. If anyone wants to take a look at the source for the one in the picture, the link is below.

Next two parts of the project. No license required

MARS modding my FT-897 hoping to fix the TX Error on VHF and UHF. I was unsuccessful, not because of an error on my part, but I learned that it's a Japanese version and is hard wired to prohibit transmission on U.S. various U.S. frequencies.