Al Lorona wrote:
Hi, Everybody,

I have been shocked to learn recently how expensive shipping can be.
What do you guys all do when you have to ship equipment?

I bite the bullet and consider it part of the cost. I live in Zone 8
from most locations and the rates have skyrocketed in the past few years
compared to more local zones..

I am selling a Drake station and took the AC-4 / MS-4 to the local
Mailboxes, Etc. store to get an idea of how much it would cost. They
told me that UPS Ground was $36.86 to ship from California to Michigan.
And that was not including the packing! And there would be two more
boxes to ship (for the receiver and transmitter)!

I have heard that the "Mailboxes" places mark up the UPS rates by about
20-25%. You can check the REAL rates online at their website. I hope
you didn't ask about the cost of packing or you'd just now be getting up
off the floor!

I had to give my buyer that sad news that, at these prices, I can't
afford to ship!

What is the best practice to follow when needing to ship equipment
across the country?

Pack it yourself and carry it to the Post Office or UPS.

-Bill