[50mhz] Radios in carry on luggage

[Jack Unger]

On 2/22/2011 4:57 PM, Chris Boone wrote:
> 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....
Taking a knife through security is asking to have the knife taken away. Getting 
it through once is luck. Trying it again is unwise.

> IF I had the bag checked, it would have gone ok,,,

Right, so why not put it in a checked bag?

> 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!!....

The 3-oz liquid rule has been in place for maybe 2 years. You put them in a 
plastic baggie which goes through separately in the tray. Now you know for next 
time.

> 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!!!)

With your creative and team-building skills it's a real shame you haven't been 
called upon to serve as CEO for a multibillion dollar worldwide business 
enterprise. Oh wait, perhaps you already are...

> 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!

Wow, you must be the smartest man on earth to be able to intimidate the TSA like 
that. Brilliance, pure brilliance.
> 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!!)
Before 9/11 you say??? Good timing to evade the upcoming security clampdown!

> 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..
Good suggestion. Congratulations on your strong finish!!

jack K6XS

> 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
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-- 
Jack Unger - President, Ask-Wi.Com, Inc.
Author (2003) - "Deploying License-Free Wireless Wide-Area Networks"
Serving the WISP, Networking and Telecom Communities since 1993
www.ask-wi.com  818-227-4220  junger at ask-wi.com