wrote in message
oups.com...


Dave Platt wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Hi, I haven't flown since 9/11, preferred to drive. I am going on a
Cruise to the eastern Caribbean, and want to take my travel antenna
(loaded whip with counterpoise) and small hf xcvr. Anybody done this
sort of thing on a plane? Would it be better to take the rig on
carry-on or in the checked baggage?

I haven't done it myself. From what I have heard, anecdotally:

- Both carry-on and checked-luggage methods can work. Carry-on may
be preferable because you'll be present when the equipment goes
through X-ray, and can explain it on request.

- It's a very good idea to have a printed copy of your amateur-radio
license with you, and another with the radio itself. Go to the FCC
web site and download/print a set if you don't have 'em
conveniently available. Also, carry a copy of whatever
reciprocal-operating-agreement documentation you'll need to
demonstrate that you have privilege to operate in the countries into
which you are travelling.

- Identify each piece of equipment clearly - a label may be enough,
but it's probably better to ship 'em in their original boxes if
available, and/or have the manual with it.

- The inspectors are as likely to be concerned about the wire and
cable and loading coils as they are about the radio... they may
look like a suspicious bomb setup on X-ray.

- Alerting the inspection personnel to the fact that you have radio
gear in your luggage couldn't hurt... maybe ask them "Hey, is the
X-ray process going to damage my radio?"

- Be prepared to explain everything, and (if asked) to plug in the
transceiver and tune it around until it hears a few birdies, so
they can be confident that it's actually a working radio.

- If you want to actually operate when you're on board a ship, you'll
need the captain's approval to transmit. Don't transmit on board a
plane :-)

My guess is that you'll have less trouble with this than my wife and I
had, getting her walking sticks approved for carry-on in Germany last
year (they were nervous about the spikes on the bottoms).

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!
Hi Dave, thanks for the reply, sounds like it is not worth the
trouble, although about all I do with ham radio these days is mobile,
portable operation.
Gary N4AST

Gary

I got my ICOM PCR 1000 and an antenna and lap top computer to Miami from
Los Angeles (LAX), as carry on, two months ago. No trouble
It has been my experience that the rules are not consistant from day to
day with airport security regulation enforcement.

Jerry