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Flying with a rig

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Mike Reublin

Flying with a rig

What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a K3 in
carry-on buggage?

73, Mike NF4L
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k6dgw

Re: Flying with a rig

I've never taken my K3, but I have taken my K2 and KX1. This may be
overkill but:

I put a copy of my ham license in the carry on case, taped a note to the
radio explaining what it, and the paddle, jumpers, and battery was, had
the manual in with it, and had no problems. They asked me to fire my
laptop up but not the radio. I was going to take a knockoff MP-1
antenna, but decided against it since the resonator looks like a pipe
bomb on the x-ray.

I have braces on both legs and carry some surgical and scrap metal
inside me, and am total toast at TSA anyway [I always wear shorts to the
airport, even if it's snowing :-)]. By the time they finally decided I
was too old to be an effective terrorist, my wife had collected our gear
and we were on our way. It turned out that I was there long enough to
have explained short, base-loaded, HF antenna theory to them and could
have taken the MP-1 and I wished I had. Trying to string wire in the
opening on our balcony on the ship in some fashion that would radiate
was pretty much a non-starter.

YMMV however, it *is* TSA.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org

On 1/30/2012 10:26 AM, Mike wrote:
> What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a K3 in
> carry-on buggage?

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K6LMP

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Varies by airport. sometimes they make me take it out and put it on a tray like they do with laptops. Sometimes they make me empty out entire carrying case and fondle everything. Either way, they almost always wipe it with the special paper and do an explosives check.

Helps if you tell them in advance what's in your K3 carrying case. And carry a copy of your license.

Count on adding 5 to 10 minutes to your TSA pit stop enroute to gate at most airports. JFK is the worst I've seen. LAX makes it quick and easy. Other airports vary in between.

Lew K6LMP

On Jan 30, 2012, at 10:26 AM, Mike wrote:

> What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a K3 in
> carry-on buggage?
>
> 73, Mike NF4L
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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Dave Johnson

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

No issues with a K2 here in Europe, I only do 4 flights a year and
only once had to take the K2 out of my carry-on bag to X-ray it
separately - with a grumpy operative saying it was a laptop and
couldn't I read the notice that said to remove laptops from hand
luggage... I carry my licence, but have never been asked to explain
the electronic equipment in my luggage.

For anyone with a K2 fitted with the internal lead acid battery, that
might cause some issues as the "acid" may be in a gel form but the
word "acid" is an emotive one. My K2 no longer has the internal
battery fitment.

73 Dave, G4AON
----------------------------------------
What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era
with a K3 in
carry-on buggage?

73, Mike NF4L
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Andy Faber

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Mike,
I carry my K3 in a backpack from SFO to MIA a few times a year on the way
to Aruba. I leave it in the backpack at TSA. The last two times there were
no issues at all. Occasionally in the past they have asked me to remove it.
They have then checked it for explosives with some kind of swab and run it
through the scanner again, but have never asked any questions, or required
that it be turned on (which I can't do, since I don't carry a PS). So I
wouldn't expect any major problems at all. I always have a copy of my US and
Aruban ham licenses with me, but have never had to show them to anyone.
On the way back, in Aruba, I've never had any questions asked at all.
73, andy ae6y p49y

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 10:26 AM
To: Elecraft List
Subject: [Elecraft] Flying with a rig

What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a
K3 in
carry-on buggage?

73, Mike NF4L
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K6LMP

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Dave Johnson

Just a note here on TSA regs regarding batteries of any kind:

You MUST carry them with you on the plane. TSA regs forbid putting any kind of battery into checked luggage. Their web site says this is because it's easier to determine if the battery has shorted out and caught on fire, or anything like that.

Lew K6LMP

On Jan 30, 2012, at 11:42 AM, Dave Johnson wrote:
>
>
> For anyone with a K2 fitted with the internal lead acid battery, that
> might cause some issues as the "acid" may be in a gel form but the
> word "acid" is an emotive one. My K2 no longer has the internal
> battery fitment.
>

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Mike Reublin

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Thanks all for the info. With my luck, it'll be a training day and the supervisor
will be nursing a massive hangover..... :'(

73, Mike

On 1/30/2012 1:26 PM, Mike wrote:

Keith Heimbold

Re: Flying with a rig

I appreciate you asking this question because my new KX3 will be with me on many business trips in the future. The advice was awesome from the folks on this reflector. I especially did not know the potential battery issue in the checked in luggage. That was great info for me.

Thanks for asking!

Keith
AG6AZ

Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos

On Jan 30, 2012, at 3:55 PM, "Mike" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Thanks all for the info. With my luck, it'll be a training day and the supervisor
> will be nursing a massive hangover..... :'(
>
> 73, Mike
>
> On 1/30/2012 1:26 PM, Mike wrote:
>> What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a K3 in
>> carry-on buggage?
>>
>> 73, Mike NF4L
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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Scott Monks

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Hi all;
Hope I am answering this in the correct manner because it is my first post.

>________________________________
>Message: 4
>Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:26:04 -0500
>From: Mike <[hidden email]>
>Subject: [Elecraft] Flying with a rig
>
>What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era with a K3 in
>carry-on buggage?
>There are probably as many stories about this as there are people carrying radios, but here is mine!

First, you want to make it as easy as possible for you, which means it must be easy for them. Some are very "nervous" and others have more experience seeing electronic equipment. One almost didn't let me pass carrying my cw paddles because of the heavy iron base!--he said that ham radio doesn't exist any more! To that end, just as with computers, ALWAYS take it out and put it in a tub. Same with powersupplies, etc. That way you will almost always get through without them pulling you aside and causing more delay. You might want to put a copy of your license with the radio, as some mentioned, but I have never been asked for mine.

Second, put the paddles, coils (from portable antenna, etc.), and so forth in another tub, and, if you use a hard case, send it through open with the cables, etc., inside. I have been using a soft-sided sort of fat briefcase with foldover top that covers the zipper that is just deep enough to fit the K3 and wide enough to let me put the paddles, Buddipole coils, cables, etc., in the bag. I haven't found a hard case that is small enough that will let me get by with carrying it on with the smaller (3-seat wide) planes that many airlines are now using to cut back costs.

Third, whatever you do, I strongly advise against putting any gear in your checked luggage unless you can lose it without causing problems. I have had many suitcases opened, some lost, and undoubtedly stolen, and putting a label on it saying "electronic equipment inside" is asking for trouble. It doesn't matter what kind of lock you put on, someone can open it! This is why I use the smallest carryon possible so that it won't get sent below as they sometimes do when you end up in one of the smallest planes.

Even thought it WILL take you a little longer, having everything open means that you usually will not get delayed further while they send you to one side to go through everything item by item. I have not even had trouble on international flights leaving or returning to the U.S., although this could happen at any time (fingers crossed!). If I start carrying a power supply this might cause me to change plans--or get my wife to carry that!

Good luck and just plan to get there a little early to have time for the packing and unpacking.

73, Scott AA0AA
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Mike Reublin

Re: Flying with a rig

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

Following up.

TSA asked me to take the K3 out of the bag before it went thru the scanner in
Jacksonville FL. On the return flight from Atlanta, they didn't ask.

73, Mike NF4L

On 1/30/2012 1:26 PM, Mike wrote:

N2TK

Re: Flying with a rig

It has been a tossup whether TSA asks me to take the K3 out of the carry on
bag, or two K3's this past October to KP2M.
N2TK, Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2012 7:00 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Flying with a rig

Following up.

TSA asked me to take the K3 out of the bag before it went thru the scanner
in Jacksonville FL. On the return flight from Atlanta, they didn't ask.

73, Mike NF4L

On 1/30/2012 1:26 PM, Mike wrote:

> What's your experience/advice about a domestic flight in the TSA era
> with a K3 in carry-on buggage?
>
> 73, Mike NF4L
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email
> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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