Congrats Cal, I just finished a TT2 also with good results. Yes, I hear my XMTR loudly in my receiver and use it as a sidetone for monitoring my sending. I do turn my RCVR sensitivity to nill while transmitting. Don't know any way of keeping the RF out of the receiver though.

I've made just a few contacts with my TT2 and it is much harder to do than with the 2.5 watts from my DSW-40. The band has to be just right. My first contact was with a ham in Georgia, I'm in Alabama, it was also his first contact on his new TT2. he was also my second contact without any sched. Both his and mine transmit on 7.043 instead of the crystal freq. What does your XMIT on?

Have fun and maybe we will hookup sometime.