I wanted the smallest case possible. I also wanted to have a package that could lie flat in front of me on the operating table or picnic table or on the ground or my lap. I took a BUD CU-2105B 5 X 4 X 3 inch MINI BOX and cut it down to 3/4 inch high. This is not much larger than a cassette storage case. I am right handed so I put the tuning pot on the lower right hand corner of the top half and the RF attenuator control on the lower left corner of the top. I put the power, antenna and key input connectors on the upper right side of the top. I put a stereo earphone connector on the right side of the case. There are no other controls on the sides or back of the enclosure, as shown in the accompanying photograph.

I use phono connectors for all my QRP rigs for power, antenna and keyer. I find them handy and easy to find when portable. Most hardware and home supply stores as well as drug and electronic stores have some sort of phono plug patch cord set in stock. So if you break something or forget a cord you have a good chance of getting a replacement. BNCs are a better connector but they are much harder to find. You must pay attention to what you are doing when you hook up your rig or you could have trouble when you plug the battery into the key jack. I also have a small "amp"-type connector on my battery pack to that I can use a patch cord to the rig. A battery pack with an exposed phono tip is just asking for something to short it out. I use my battery packs for my electric powered airplanes also, my other hobby. In the planes I use small "amp"-type connectors. This way I have access to my quick charger and many different small 200 milliampere AAA to large 1,700 milliampere sub-c battery packs.

I did not waterproof my rig; if it gets wet I just slide the back off and shake out the water and lay it in the sun to dry. So far dust and dirt have not been a problem. My box did have sharp corners, but I rounded them off with a file.

For my TFR antenna system I use three small plastic kite string handle/winders. One holds a 40/20 meter jumper dipole. This is wound from the far/ground side to the near/hot side of the dipole. If I want a quick set-up, I unspool just the dipole as a 1/4 wave "L" or sloper antenna against a 1/4 wave counterpoise, with the center phono plugged directly into the rig's antenna jack. One handle holds 33 feet of RG-174 coax with a nylon cord and a 2 ounce lead sinker. I tried all the antenna, coax and cord on one handle, but it turns into an unusable mess very quickly.

My keyer is self contained. It has its own 9-volt battery and simple paddle. I built it into a PCB box just large enough to hold everything. When I operate I hold the keyer/paddle in my left hand and send with my right. Or if I am operating at a table, I hold down the keyer/paddle with my left hand and send with my right. My keyer is as light as possible to reduce the carrying weight, so I have to hold it down to keep it in place during use. This seemed like a good tradeoff instead of carrying a lot of dead weight. This also works if you are lying on your stomach in a small tent trying to stay dry and operate at the same time. I may try to make another keyer that Velcro-fastens to the rig case to keep it from sliding around. Then I could set the battery pack on top of the rig for more weight to help keep the whole set-up from sliding.

I've used this rig in all sorts of conditions and have found it to be a worthwhile traveling companion.