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
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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