Travel advice

[Bernie Gardner]

I am going to be going on a combined work and vacation trip in February,
including Hawaii during the ARRL CW dx contest, and plan to take my k2 with
me.  (I'm not expecting in records, but it should be fun to make a few
contacts.)  This brings up two questions which I know have been discussed
occasionally in the past but which I would appreciate current thinking on.  
First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone had
recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios and
associated equipment?  I would prefer to carry the K2 with me rather than
trusting it to the baggage system, but don't want get stuck at the security
station.

Thanks for any advice!

Bernie, W1AZ
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[k6dgw]

Bernie Gardner wrote:
> First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone had
> recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios and
> associated equipment?  I would prefer to carry the K2 with me rather than
> trusting it to the baggage system, but don't want get stuck at the security
> station.

Can't tell you about special packing but if it is with you as a
carry-on, that should be fairly easy.  I probably would not bury it
between other things however (like I was trying to hide it).

Get a label maker and label every piece with your call, name, address,
and phone number.  In some visible place when your bag is opened by TSA,
put a very short note telling them this is an amateur radio transceiver
and accessories.  Paste a xerox of your license to the note.

No guarantees, TSA is extraordinarily unpredictable which shouldn't be
surprising, I guess.  They ARE the government, but this worked for me.
I did choose not to take the MP-1 knockoff antenna I have -- the
resonator looks like a pipe bomb on the xray and I figured that might be
pushing it.

Good luck,

Fred K6DGW
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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Bernie,

I will answer only for the packing, you handle the travel part!

No matter what kind of case you choose, pack the K2 sideways when opening
the case with the carry handle toward you.  The front knobs and the rear
panel jacks are the most vulnerable parts of the K2 - the side panels can
take a greater impact with no adverse effects.  The hardest bump the case
will likely encounter is when you set it down after carrying it by the
handle, so be certain the forces are to the sides.

If you really want the best impact resistance - support only the corners,
not the entire side (or top or bottom or any single panel).  The corners
will accept more impact and contrary to common belief, padding a panel along
its entire length can distort the panel in an impact where supporting it at
only the corners will allow the crating container to distort a lot before
contacting the panel in the center.

If you need to be convinced, I suggest you take a piece of metal, support it
on the corners only and try to distort it by pressing on any of the
supports - then try putting a soft pad (similar to foam padding normally
used in a case) across the entire panel - press on the center of the panel -
you will find the panel will distort easily in the second condition and will
usually escape unharmed by the first method.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I am going to be going on a combined work and vacation trip in February,
> including Hawaii during the ARRL CW dx contest, and plan to take
> my k2 with
> me.  (I'm not expecting in records, but it should be fun to make a few
> contacts.)  This brings up two questions which I know have been discussed
> occasionally in the past but which I would appreciate current
> thinking on.
> First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone had
> recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios and
> associated equipment?  I would prefer to carry the K2 with me rather than
> trusting it to the baggage system, but don't want get stuck at
> the security
> station.
>
>

--
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11:04 AM

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[N6JW]

>I am going to be going on a combined work and vacation trip in February,
>including Hawaii . . .
>First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone had
>recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios and
>associated equipment?  . . .
>
>Thanks for any advice!
>
>Bernie, W1AZ

 

Hi Bernie:

 

After 16 flights this summer alone, in and out of the USA, Europe, Africa,
Australia and New Zeeland, I think I can say with some confidence that you
will not have a problem taking your K2 along.  Your bag may be opened,
swabbed, and you may be asked a question or two, but it is very unlikely
that you will have a problem.  In fact, over the last four years and many
scores of times through security, the worst I have had, was being asked to
power up the K2 (which involved plugging in the power supply which I also
carry in the same carry-on bag) in Lusaka, Zambia (9J2)-and that was
probably more out of sheer rote, or mere curiosity.  They seemed genuinely
tickled by the thing.

 

I carry a whole "contest grade" 100w HF station in a briefcase sized $19
aluminum sided case I found at Home Depot.  In the case: a K2/100, KAT100-1
ATU; Astron 25amp switching PS, MFJ 259 antenna analyzer; hand mic; computer
type head-phones+boom mic; two Palm paddles; radio-controlled clock; spare
batteries; assortment of plugs and adapters; all required coax and other
cables for ATU and computer control; manuals, documentation, licenses,
cheat-sheets, etc.; and, oh yes, also a 5W 3 band VHF/UHF handheld, and
compass, just for good measure!  The whole thing weighs about 20 lbs.  I
have only been given trouble once over weight by an officious check-in
operative (in Auckland, NZ) who insisted that hand luggage so heavy was a
direct threat to the safety of passengers if placed in an overhead
compartment!  She was totally unconcerned about the content, even after I
showed her why I was unwilling to have it placed in checked baggage.  After
calling a supervisor, I won, and that was the end of it.

 

This summer I also traveled with a 14 element 5 band HF yagi (a Spiderbeam)
and a 35ft aluminum push-up mast, with all associated guys, and stays.  All
this fit in a golf bag as checked baggage, and weighed about 50 lbs.  Never
ONCE was there any problem or question.  In fact, I discovered that most
airlines will treat a golf bag as one of your two allowed bags, without
weight limit (up to a max of 70 lbs).  I did not have to pay one cent in
overweight on any flight.

 

By the way, this was a business/holiday/ham radio trip with the family, not
a dedicated DXpedition.

 

Bottom line-take the K2 (and "golf-bag" if you can, particularly from
Hawaii), and have fun!

 

73

 

John, N6JW

 

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[Bernie Gardner]

Thanks John (and others who replied.)

The consensus seems to be that there is no problem with the K2 as carry-on.  I
was planning to put the power supply in checked baggage, but maybe I'll carry
it as well after John's experience.

Bernie, W1AZ


On Friday 19 January 2007 02:26, John Webster wrote:

> >I am going to be going on a combined work and vacation trip in February,
> >including Hawaii . . .
> >First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone had
> >recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios and
> >associated equipment?  . . .
> >
> >Thanks for any advice!
> >
> >Bernie, W1AZ
>
> Hi Bernie:
>
>
>
> After 16 flights this summer alone, in and out of the USA, Europe, Africa,
> Australia and New Zeeland, I think I can say with some confidence that you
> will not have a problem taking your K2 along.  Your bag may be opened,
> swabbed, and you may be asked a question or two, but it is very unlikely
> that you will have a problem.  In fact, over the last four years and many
> scores of times through security, the worst I have had, was being asked to
> power up the K2 (which involved plugging in the power supply which I also
> carry in the same carry-on bag) in Lusaka, Zambia (9J2)-and that was
> probably more out of sheer rote, or mere curiosity.  They seemed genuinely
> tickled by the thing.
>
>...

.
.
.

>
> Bottom line-take the K2 (and "golf-bag" if you can, particularly from
> Hawaii), and have fun!
>
>
>
> 73
>
>
>
> John, N6JW

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[Fred N. van Kempen]

All,

I have been taking "the K" everywhere I go, and never had an
issue with customs or TSA.  I *do* carry my license (both the
U.S. and European one), and each bag (both checked and carryon)
contain a copy of those, with the text:

        ATTN TSA:

        THIS BAG CONTAINS (DELICATE) RADIO EQUIPMENT,

        THE LICENSE FOR WHICH YOU WILL FIND BELOW.

written on it in large print.  I actually have one of those
sheets where some TSA person scribbled "Thanks man, this helps
us a lot!!" on it :P

The only possible problem is sometimes the antenna.. I carry a
DK9SQ fiberglass mast as carryon, and its shape sometimes causes
the TSA people to get nervous.  But in all trips I had only one
where it was refused at first,and then later handed to the
captain, who kept it with their stuff.  I explained that although
it could have been 'checked', I was merely afraid of being
cracked, and therefore kept it as carryon.

So... K2/100 (#05331), LDG AT200Pro, Diamond GSV4000 and the
"wire bag" with mast ... great kit !

Cheers,

Fred PA4YBR/KA4YBR
 

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bernie Gardner
Sent: vrijdag 19 januari 2007 13:36
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Travel advice

Thanks John (and others who replied.)

The consensus seems to be that there is no problem with the K2 as
carry-on.  I was planning to put the power supply in checked baggage,
but maybe I'll carry it as well after John's experience.

Bernie, W1AZ


On Friday 19 January 2007 02:26, John Webster wrote:
> >I am going to be going on a combined work and vacation trip in
> >February, including Hawaii . . .
> >First, what is the best way to pack the radio, and second, has anyone

> >had recent experience with airport security as far as carrying radios

> >and associated equipment?  . . .
> >
> >Thanks for any advice!
> >
> >Bernie, W1AZ
>
> Hi Bernie:
>
>
>
> After 16 flights this summer alone, in and out of the USA, Europe,
> Africa, Australia and New Zeeland, I think I can say with some
> confidence that you will not have a problem taking your K2 along.  
> Your bag may be opened, swabbed, and you may be asked a question or
> two, but it is very unlikely that you will have a problem.  In fact,
> over the last four years and many scores of times through security,
> the worst I have had, was being asked to power up the K2 (which
> involved plugging in the power supply which I also carry in the same
> carry-on bag) in Lusaka, Zambia (9J2)-and that was probably more out
> of sheer rote, or mere curiosity.  They seemed genuinely tickled by

the thing.
>
>...
.
.
.

>
> Bottom line-take the K2 (and "golf-bag" if you can, particularly from
> Hawaii), and have fun!
>
>
>
> 73
>
>
>
> John, N6JW

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[David Zatopek KT5V-2]

Fred N. van Kempen writes

>I have been taking "the K" everywhere I go, and never had an
>issue with customs or TSA.  I *do* carry my license (both the
>U.S. and European one), and each bag (both checked and carryon)
>contain a copy of those, with the text:
>
> ATTN TSA:
>
> THIS BAG CONTAINS (DELICATE) RADIO EQUIPMENT,
>
> THE LICENSE FOR WHICH YOU WILL FIND BELOW.
>

Excellent advice.  My KX1 makes a trip each year to France and I've
never had a question.  KX1 comes with me as carry on in small Pelican
case within my carry-on bag with a copy of my US licence and the CEPT
document, along with headphone, paddle, binder posts and some misc.
items  wire.  Never once have I been questioned, it just sails
through..  Perhaps they are just happy to get the 2 - 1/2 year old we
have along with us through the line.

In my checked bag, I usually have a small folding solar panel,
controller, SLA battery, small tools and additional wire/feedline etc.
for a doublet.  I group this together in a clear bag with a copy of US
license, CEPT, and passport page.  This bag has been opened by TSA on
every trip.  Put the documents on top and use one of those "TSA" locks.  
I think making it easy for the folks at TSA to see that the stuff is not
hidden  makes their job (and your flight) easier.

The fiberglass push-up I use is a Jackite and it collaspes in its lower
section.  It is wrapped with airline "baggage" tape and checked.  At DFW
Terminal D, I'm ususally sent to the TSA window for "oversize" checked
baggage.  They alway have questions about its purpose, but never a
problem..  The pole and all the checked bags have US and French
addresses and tels.  So far nothing has been lost.

At CDG no one has ever asked or batted an eye at any of my radio stuff.

73 de David KT5V


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