[50mhz] Radios in carry on luggage

[Chris Boone]

The idiots at the TSA vary from airport to airport....(gotta tell this with
a little humor in it...and further below, what happened BEFORE 9/11 with
LOTS of radio gear in bags)

Last flight I did to Colorado in May 09, I flew through IAH Houston......in
my laptop bag, they would not let me take a Leatherman clone (the multi tool
tool...pliers, knife, skinner, can opener, etc..comes in handy with wire
antennas or radio work!)....even though it HAD made it through earlier
flights....IF I had the bag checked, it would have gone ok,,,I could have
had them MAIL it back to me..for $15?? It only cost me $14 so I let them
keep it; yet they let me go with 2!!!  6in long screwdrivers..one Phillips
that I use to unscrew radio covers on a regular basis!..checked 2 days later
when I came back..the clone was gone (I bet the TSA agent took it home)....

NOW, flying  back from Denver with the same setup minus the Leatherman
clone?? (which I had used on MANY antenna installs including 6m ones!!) They
wanted to check not my PC  bag but my other one..???? Turns out I had a 6oz
tube of tooth paste...that was a nono....only 3 oz allowed!!....SOOO I took
the tube, opened it, hit it with my palm on the shelf and out came 3 oz....I
looked at the TSA person and said "any problems"??? She called a supervisor
over and said I was being a pain (well my plane left in 10 mins!!!) The supv
looked at me, I asked for their cell phone and told them to call
202-456-1414......the supv looked at me with a raised eyebrow....hmmm
something about that number...they dialed it...."White House
switchboard"...The supv hung up and looked at me with open eyes...I said if
they wanted to hold me, I was going to talk with my "uncle Charlie"....they
let me go....one of the other folks boarding with me came over as we ran to
the gate...asked if I really had an "uncle Charlie" at the White
House..NOPE!! never said that!! Just gave them the WH number and then said I
would talk with my "uncle Charlie" who happens to be a distant cousin and
works in a non government job ...but it never failed yet!! He was laughing
all the way to the plane! Find a copy of the 70s song Sugarloaf's "Don't
Call Us, We'll call you"...the last number in DTMF in the song? That's it...
(missing the leading 1!) Tnx to Casey Kasem for that one!

BEFORE 9/11 I walked through DFW AND Boston Logan with two shoulder bags
full of ham and broadcast radio gear (had a live broadcast at Sam Adams old
brewery in Boston TWO weeks before 9/11)...got the wand and HEAVY inspection
at DFW but a hand wave and "have a nice flight" at Logan (I can understand
why the terrorists chose that airport...I could have had C4 or something
else in bag!!! They didn't wand or anything!!)

However, in todays world, for a DXpedition??? Better to check your bags to
be sure....Otherwise, they MAY require you to power it up if possible
(sure...let me find a 12V car battery handy!! :)  You can get HTs through
without an issue..but anything else is hit or miss..

Be sure to let us know where you are headed!!

Chris
WB5ITT 


> -----Original Message-----
> I am planning a couple of grid expeditions that will involve commercial
> flights, and wonder what experiences others have had with taking radios in
> their carry on luggage. Does TSA get very involved in this?  Did you have
to
> take it out of the case?  Demonstrate it?  Was it a bunch of hoops to jump
> through, or very smooth sailing?
> 
> 73s John AA5JG