Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
73
Reid N0RC
The biggest problem for most people transporting radios is that they spend their life talking about it and not doing it.
On 28-Feb-10 05:44, Reid Crowe wrote:
Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
--- On Sat, 2/27/10, Reid Crowe [email protected] wrote:
From: Reid Crowe [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] Transporting HT and Arrow Antenna on commercial flight To: [email protected] Received: Saturday, February 27, 2010, 10:44 PM Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
Two months ago, I had no problem getting my Arrow onto a plane. I simply disassembled part of it and put the pieces inside my suitcase. When my luggage was scanned, I was queried about it and I explained what it was for. No further questions were asked.
Getting all my radio gear through the security check was relatively easy. By comparison, I always had to take my laptop out and have it examined.
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL
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Hey Reid,
Since starting to work the satellites, I've only made one trip that involved air travel - from Atlanta to International Falls, Minn. I carried two radios with backup batteries, a small digital records and other accessories in my carry-on bag. I packed the antenna in my checked baggage.
The TSA in Atlanta breezed me through check-in on the way north. My antenna arrived in the checked bag in perfect shape, and it made the trip home safely and without any damage whatsoever. On the way home, TSA in International Falls totally unpacked my carry-on and physically inspected every piece of radio-related gear I had. When I saw they were starting to do that, I produced the wallet-size copy of my FCC license to make sure they knew I was a licensed ham.
They were very nice, and asked several questions about working the satellites with a handheld station. There weren't any problems at all.
That being said, I suspect the level of interest you attract could be directly related to which airport(s) you use. Atlanta TSA acted like I didn't have anything in the carry-on. International Falls TSA was pretty much the opposite. If I were you, I'd expect anything.
73 and safe travels,
Tim - N3TL Athens, Ga. - EM84ha
________________________________ From: Reid Crowe [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, February 28, 2010 12:44:23 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Transporting HT and Arrow Antenna on commercial flight
Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
73
Reid N0RC _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I travel in the US and Canada about 4 or 5 times a year and always carry my HT and batteries in my carry-on luggage. Surprisingly, I've never been asked anything about my HT or spare batteries.
I take my Arrow on some of these trips but it has always been in checked luggage. One time there was a TSA luggage inspection card in my luggage when I arrived at my destination, but no problem.
I do like the idea of packing a photocopy of my full license in with the antenna and maybe a note that says "amateur radio antenna for satellite communications".
David/K6CDW
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Reid Crowe Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 9:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] Transporting HT and Arrow Antenna on commercial flight
Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
73
Reid N0RC _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I've traveled with my HTs often over the years but only most recently with my Arrow. Last year I had my VX-7R and a Pryme AL-800 telescoping whip in my carry on going between FLL and LIM. A TSA X-Ray screener in Ft Lauderdale pulled me aside for secondary screening where they took everything out of my carry on and swabbed the whole thing. The HT had the battery in fully charged and the antenna was disassembled. I offered to turn it on for the inspector and they said NO quite emphatically. They took it away to a supervisor. Apparently they saw the antenna connector and thought the ground and centre conductor were stun gun electrodes! They also took out the telescoping whip and extended it so hard that they pulled one of the traps apart. That same carry on with the same stuff in it had passed through security at DTW, CUZ and LIM with no problems whatsoever other than the x-ray belt going back and forth a few times on my bag.
On other occasions, they just take it out, look at it for a second, do the swab test and put it back in if anything at all. Over Christmas I took the arrow with me. I disassembled all of the elements. I put the 2 meter elements inside the boom except for the gamma match which I taped to the outside of the boom. I put all of the 70cm elements in a Ziplock bag and took them in my carry on. The boom just barely fit in my oversized duffel bag. Should have spent the extra $6 and got the split boom! At YTZ (Toronto Island Airport), your checked bags and carry ons both go through the same x-ray and one of the agents tells the x-ray person that it's a checked bag and they don't give it as much scrutiny so the Arrow made it through no problem. The carry on however got pulled for manual screening and they focused on the HT's and the bag of elements. He just asked what they were and I told him and all was okay after he ran the swab test. This same bag went through security at YYT with no questions asked.
73, Mark VO1ONE/N8TLV
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Reid Crowe Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 9:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [amsat-bb] Transporting HT and Arrow Antenna on commercial flight
Has anyone had luck with transporting an HT on a commercial flight in their carry on luggage recently? I doubt I'd have much luck with transporting an arrow antenna in my carry on. Any thoughts?
73
Reid N0RC
Everyone, thank you for your help on my HT transporting question I posted earlier! I think I have found a method to get my equipment to where I'm going. I'll try to get on the air Wed and Thursday nights from DM04 (I know not the rarest). I'll possibly be on during college satellite night as K0KU/6 if work permits.
I will be getting my equipment shipped to FQ56 in late March. Where I hope to be on the air for a month starting March 23rd. I will try to use satellites that uplink on VHF, as UHF would interfere with the BMEWS on base. If BMEWS interferes with UHF downlink, I'll also be out of commission on the birds.
My schedule will be as work/passes/weather permits. As of right now, I'll only be operating the FM satellites due to equipment limitations. If I can figure out a way to work the SSB/CW birds, I'll be on those as well. The satellite with the best coverage of Thule and the US would be HO-68 assuming it is in FM mode.
I will also be working some HF in between passes. So look for OX3RC on the birds and HF starting March 23. I cannot give a specific time of operation because my primary mission is work, and my work schedule is dependent on weather.
73
Reid N0RC
participants (6)
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B J -
David Wing -
Mark Saurman -
Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF -
Reid Crowe -
Tim - N3TL