LoRa Handheld Case for Heltec v4 | N-Type Antenna

A compact, ergonomic handheld enclosure for the Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 V4 and V3, built for MeshCore and Meshtastic nodes that have to work away from a desk. It turns the bare dev board into a device you can actually carry: two 18650 cells for real runtime, a proper N-type bulkhead connector for a full-size antenna, a clean window for the OLED, and a screwed-down lid that survives being thrown in a backpack.

This is not a rectangular box with holes in it. The body is lofted with slightly convex sides, a large radius along the back edge and a tapered grip, so it sits in one hand the way a radio should. Everything is designed around the real board — the display window, the button positions and the USB-C opening were measured on the actual hardware and corrected over several printed prototypes.

3D-model picture:

Features

- Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 V4 held by integrated snap-fit arms plus continuous support ledges — no screws, no tape, and it comes back out for maintenance - 2× 18650 cells side by side in a dedicated bay with cradles, end stops and a removable snap-in retainer; the same space also takes a single large LiPo pouch if you prefer - N-type female bulkhead mount with a thick, ribbed wall section, a flat spot-face for the nut and an anti-rotation D-hole — the antenna mounts to metal-grade structure, not to a thin plastic wall - OLED window with a clean, rounded bezel and an optional recess for a 1 mm acrylic/polycarbonate pane - RST and PRG buttons reachable through the lid via printed plungers that rest just above the switches, so nothing is permanently pressed - USB-C fully accessible for charging and flashing, with a reinforced wall and a recess that clears normal cable overmoulds - Cradle for the Heltec GNSS module on the floor underneath the board, where its short cable actually reaches - Screwed lid with four M3 countersunk screws into heat-set inserts — flush on the outside, no visible clips - Routed channels for the coax pigtail and the battery wiring, plus discreet vent slits that aren't covered by your hand - Designed for FDM: flat print-bed surfaces, no support needed on the main parts, 2.2 mm walls throughout Boost Me If you like my work, consider boosting me :) Printed parts

Part Qty Orientation

Housing_Bottom 1 back face down, as exported

Housing_Top 1 outer face down, as exported

Battery_Retainer 1 as exported

Button_Plunger 2 head down, as exported

All files are exported already oriented for printing — drop them on the plate and go.

Print settings

- Material: PETG or ASA recommended (better snap-fit fatigue life and heat resistance); PLA works fine for indoor use - Nozzle: 0.4 mm · Layer height: 0.2 mm - Walls: 3–4 · Infill: 20–30 % (gyroid or grid) - Supports: not required for the lid or retainer, required for the housing (ready in the print file) - The button plungers are small — print them with the rest of the parts or add a brim If your printer runs tight, the PCB pocket is the one place to check first: the board should drop in with a light click, not need force.

Hardware you need

- 4× M3 heat-set inserts (M3 × 5.7 mm, ~4.6 mm OD) - 4× M3 × 8 mm countersunk screws (DIN 7991) - N-type female bulkhead connector with IPEX/U.FL pigtail (the common 5/8-24 UNEF panel type) - 2× 18650 cells plus contacts/springs and wiring, or a LiPo pouch with a JST 1.25 connector - Optional: 1 mm acrylic or polycarbonate pane, 30 × 19 mm, for the display window - Optional: Heltec L76K GNSS module with its short 8-pin cable Assembly

- Heat the four M3 inserts into the bosses of the lower housing. - Fit the N-type bulkhead: drop it into the bay from above, push it into the wall opening and tighten the nut against the outside spot-face. - Solder or crimp your cell contacts, lay the battery wiring into the side channels and run it through the pass-through into the board bay. - Route the coax pigtail underneath the board area and up through the slot next to the IPEX socket, then click it onto the board's LoRa connector. - Drop the Heltec V4 in: tilt it under the fixed lips first, then press the opposite edge down until the snap arms click. Plug in the battery lead (and the GNSS module, if used). - Insert the cells, clip the retainer over them, drop the two plungers into the lid holes and screw the lid down. To service it later, undo the four screws and push the snap arms outward with a fingernail.

Notes

- The board must have unpopulated header rows — the pocket is designed for the bare board as delivered, not with pin headers soldered on. - There is no BMS or protection circuit in this design . The V4 has an on-board charger for a single cell; how you wire two 18650s (and whether you add protection, a fuse or a BMS) is up to you. Use protected, matched cells, never short the pack, and don't charge unattended. - Bulkhead connectors vary between suppliers. The mount was built around a common N-type panel connector — check the thread body and flange of yours before printing if it looks unusual. If you build one, I'd love to see it — post a Make, and let me know what you'd change.