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OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

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w7aqk

OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

Every so often someone asks what the best way is to ship equipment. I
question whether UPS is the right answer!

Some day maybe I'll better understand UPS's delivery system! I recently
received a package that came from Virginia via UPS. Its 3rd stop was in
Louisville, KY, where it then sat for 49 hours! Its 5th stop was in
Phoenix, AZ (120 miles north of me), where it sat for 29 hours! Somewhere
in between it apparently sat in the rain, as much of the "popcorn" packing
was compressed and hard as a rock, and the documentation inside was stained,
when I opened the package. Fortunately, the contents were well wrapped with
waterproof material, so no apparent damage. It's as if UPS wanted to make
absolutely sure I didn't get my package quickly, or heaven forbid, early!
Being somewhat cynical, I wonder if the extra delay in Phoenix was so they
could let the box sit in the Arizona sun and dry out!!!

I may be overlooking something, but my best experiences, by far, have been
with USPS, and particularly Priority Mail. Unless a Sunday intervenes, I've
never had anything take more than 3 days when shipped Priority Mail! If you
can fit it into one of their flat rate boxes, you probably are way better
off. Also, I've never had a Priority Mail package arrive with crushed
corners as this one did!

Anyway, shipping these days is expensive and risky! It still galls me that
we have to pay premium charges for insurance against THEIR incompetence!

Dave W7AQK

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Kevin - K4VD

Re: OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

I was going to say that I have the opposite opinion... UPS over USPS but
your last paragraph was a kicker...

I never really thought about it but now it galls me that we have to pay
premium charges for insurance against a problem they cause. Now that sounds
like a scam. Like paying for a warranty.

UPS delivered a new KX3/PX3 yesterday. On time and in perfect shape. USPS
delivered an empty, busted up box from Arrow Antennas yesterday. Arrow
Antennas is taking care of me.

Kev K4VD

On Tue, Apr 25, 2017 at 10:15 PM, w7aqk <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Every so often someone asks what the best way is to ship equipment. I
> question whether UPS is the right answer!
>
> Some day maybe I'll better understand UPS's delivery system! I recently
> received a package that came from Virginia via UPS. Its 3rd stop was in
> Louisville, KY, where it then sat for 49 hours! Its 5th stop was in
> Phoenix, AZ (120 miles north of me), where it sat for 29 hours! Somewhere
> in between it apparently sat in the rain, as much of the "popcorn" packing
> was compressed and hard as a rock, and the documentation inside was
> stained, when I opened the package. Fortunately, the contents were well
> wrapped with waterproof material, so no apparent damage. It's as if UPS
> wanted to make absolutely sure I didn't get my package quickly, or heaven
> forbid, early! Being somewhat cynical, I wonder if the extra delay in
> Phoenix was so they could let the box sit in the Arizona sun and dry out!!!
>
> I may be overlooking something, but my best experiences, by far, have been
> with USPS, and particularly Priority Mail. Unless a Sunday intervenes,
> I've never had anything take more than 3 days when shipped Priority Mail!
> If you can fit it into one of their flat rate boxes, you probably are way
> better off. Also, I've never had a Priority Mail package arrive with
> crushed corners as this one did!
>
> Anyway, shipping these days is expensive and risky! It still galls me
> that we have to pay premium charges for insurance against THEIR
> incompetence!
>
> Dave W7AQK
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Mike Rhodes-2

Re: OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

In reply to this post by w7aqk

I've had the best luck and quickest shipping with FedEx. It seems to me
that if the UPS site says 5 days for delivery, they will find a way to
be sure it takes 5 days, no matter how long it has to sit in a corner.

Mike / W8DN

On 4/25/2017 10:15 PM, w7aqk wrote:

> Every so often someone asks what the best way is to ship equipment. I
> question whether UPS is the right answer!
>
> Some day maybe I'll better understand UPS's delivery system! I
> recently received a package that came from Virginia via UPS. Its 3rd
> stop was in Louisville, KY, where it then sat for 49 hours! Its 5th
> stop was in Phoenix, AZ (120 miles north of me), where it sat for 29
> hours! Somewhere in between it apparently sat in the rain, as much of
> the "popcorn" packing was compressed and hard as a rock, and the
> documentation inside was stained, when I opened the package.
> Fortunately, the contents were well wrapped with waterproof material,
> so no apparent damage. It's as if UPS wanted to make absolutely sure
> I didn't get my package quickly, or heaven forbid, early! Being
> somewhat cynical, I wonder if the extra delay in Phoenix was so they
> could let the box sit in the Arizona sun and dry out!!!
>
> I may be overlooking something, but my best experiences, by far, have
> been with USPS, and particularly Priority Mail. Unless a Sunday
> intervenes, I've never had anything take more than 3 days when shipped
> Priority Mail! If you can fit it into one of their flat rate boxes,
> you probably are way better off. Also, I've never had a Priority Mail
> package arrive with crushed corners as this one did!
>
> Anyway, shipping these days is expensive and risky! It still galls me
> that we have to pay premium charges for insurance against THEIR
> incompetence!
>
> Dave W7AQK
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

Grant Youngman-2

Re: OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

This topic comes up frequently — especially on boatanchor lists where a lot of heavy boxes get shipped around frequently.

I’ve had substantially roughed up packages (punctured exterior cardboard, crushed corners, split seams, etc,) arrive by USPS, FedEx and UPS — and consider them all to be equal opportunity offenders. And exceptions to supposedly guaranteed arrival dates from all of them, too. But those instances are relatively rare for any of them. In my experience it’s been far more common for actual damage to the shipped item occurring as the result of sloppy, non-commercial grade, “peanut”-style packing and the frequent use of used packing materials than by the carriers themselves. They’re all pretty good (or bad) depending on your perspective :-)

> On Apr 26, 2017, at 9:06 AM, Mike Rhodes <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I've had the best luck and quickest shipping with FedEx. It seems to me that if the UPS site says 5 days for delivery, they will find a way to be sure it takes 5 days, no matter how long it has to sit in a corner.
>
> Mike / W8DN
>
> On 4/25/2017 10:15 PM, w7aqk wrote:
>> Every so often someone asks what the best way is to ship equipment. I question whether UPS is the right answer!
>>

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091, KX3 #8342

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Don Wilhelm

Re: OT: What's The Best Way To Shp

When equipment is damaged in shipment, it usually comes from movement
inside that package, not from external damage to the package itself.

Your packing material needs to be tailored to the weight of the
equipment. Packing peanuts and bubble wrap are good for articles up to
about 20 pounds. With equipment heavier than that, you need something
more substantial, like high density foam (not cushion grade foam rubber)
to secure the equipment.

Those large packing "sacks of air" are not good for anything weighing
more than a couple pounds. If they receive much pressure, they will burst.

Think what will happen if the package comes to an abrupt stop at the end
of a sorting conveyor.

I send and receive a lot of packages, and anytime I have observed damage
is when the equipment inside has contacted the side of the package.
I have not found that one carrier is worse than another. I use both UPS
and USPS frequently, and on occasion FedEx.

If you have delivery problems, blame it on the local delivery person -
baring some disaster in transit. I currently have delays pending due to
flooding in the area, but that kind of thing is not common.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/26/2017 9:36 AM, GRANT YOUNGMAN wrote:
> This topic comes up frequently — especially on boatanchor lists where a lot of heavy boxes get shipped around frequently.
>
> I’ve had substantially roughed up packages (punctured exterior cardboard, crushed corners, split seams, etc,) arrive by USPS, FedEx and UPS — and consider them all to be equal opportunity offenders. And exceptions to supposedly guaranteed arrival dates from all of them, too. But those instances are relatively rare for any of them. In my experience it’s been far more common for actual damage to the shipped item occurring as the result of sloppy, non-commercial grade, “peanut”-style packing and the frequent use of used packing materials than by the carriers themselves. They’re all pretty good (or bad) depending on your perspective :-)
>
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