[Elecraft] Kits (and rigs) on planes

[jac]

I took K2 #609 to ZS6 just after 9/11. Total panic at the airport - no hand 
baggage unless it was a see-through plastic carrier bag. Nobody had any of 
those so eventually they accepted regular supermart bags from the duty-free 
store. I wrapped the K2 in a newspaper. It survived the trip and no-one asked 
to see it  - all I said was that I had my travel radio with me.  
Since then I have always carried valuable stuff, rigs, kits, components etc. 
in hand baggage without any problem at all. 
I have a small suitcase (a souvenir of a visit to Houston) and I use that 
every trip. Its well within the size limits for carry-on.
I even took a Hercules II  500w  linear in that case as hand baggage from UK 
to TenTec for service and only once (at Nashville) did anyone ask to see it.
For the K3/100 kit  I put the metalwork into checked baggage, but that was 
all.  The main parts were in hand baggage. My second carry-on bag had 200 
feet of ladderline in it .... Again no-one cared,
I learned the hard way a long time ago that you should NEVER say you have 
anything unusual with you.  I had my Omni-V with me and I rashly mentioned 
what it was (at Philadelphia.)  I was detained until the captain of the  BA 
747 had inspected it (we took the lid off) and said it was OK by him !  

Moral: Ham radio stuff is not dangerous. Don't act as if it is.

Anon