I started my journey into QO-100 with a very simple setup. Details can be found here. I used purely SDRConsole to receive & transmit audio via a simple USB headset. This was no real comfort and it was not capable transmitting CW ;-)
Fortunateley Andreas DL4JAL published 2021 in the German ham radio magazin FUNKAMATEUR an interesting hardware console. The basic idea behind this console is, that through the internal soundcard SSB-audio as well CW-audio can be transmitted. A hardware PTT key can used to switch SDRConsole into transmit mode. Furthermore it controls the timing for T/R-switching - SDRConsole has some delay between audio input and rf-output via the LimeSDR-mini - so no loss of last DIT or syllable.
Andreas's solution contains an USB-hub, an USB-soundcard and an FTDI-serial converter. All controlled by an PIC microcontroler.
| The user interface is a small LCD display, a rotary encoder and a button. I placed all components in a old industrial console case. |  |
| The rotary encoder controls the parameters of the console as well as the CW keyer speed. With the mode switch you toggle between SSB and CW mode. |  |
| In CW-mode the device transmits an audio tone - F1A (?) I've added my BAMATECH TP-III paddle on top of case so I have a compact SSB / CW console. The distance of the paddle to the table surface is not optimal, but usable. |  |
| There are many wires you have to connect between the controller PCBs and the controls and display - so not really a clean look inside the box ;-) |  |
... and yes, someday I will spray-paint the front panels ...