I've Removed The Bottom Left "shelf" That The Radio Sits Against That Blocks Any Wiring From The Radio

Second one ready to go!

Backs are printed!

Everything packed in but still getting too much pressure against the reset button, so that will need elevated before I can tighten the housing down

I bought this Yaesu FT-897 as a gift to myself for passing the General Class exam last month. I was going to buy an antenna but decided to make one myself to learn more about them, so I made a field expedient, 1/4 wave end-fed. I had gooten into amateur radio with my dad who became a silent key nearly three years ago. After hearing the radio crackle to life with the sounds of a 40 meter net I forgot about how I wouldn't be able to use it on all amateur bands (because it's a Japanese model), and I wanted to run and tell my dad all about it. I wanted to throw my call out but I figured I'd better just listen for now. I was as excited as a boy on Christmas.

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.

Finally!

The main element on my 1/4 wave, vertical antenna broke off, regardless of how secure I had made it with electrical tape and coax-seal, the solder just wasn't wanting to hold.

I removed the other shelf thinking that it would relieve the pressure on the power and reset buttons, but this turned out to be wrong.