[Elecraft] OT: Radios and the TSA

[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft]

I carry-on two K3's to ham shows and talks as in an over the shoulder 
bag made by Rose's Covers. (It's actually two independent K3 carry bags 
that Velcro together and share the same shoulder strap rings. )

I fly a lot each year and I have never had any problem with the TSA 
security inspection. They do ask that the radios be taken out of the 
bags for scanning, just like laptop computers. If you put them through 
the scanner inside the carry bags, about 70% of the time they then have 
to take them out of the bag and re-scan them - adding more time to the 
process. They occasionally will also swab them and do a spectral check 
for explosives.

Most of the time they are just curious about ham radio and are very 
friendly. The less apprehensive you are the better they treat you. :-)

My other rule is -always- show up 30 minutes earlier than you think you 
need to. I plan to arrive at the airport parking lot 2 hrs before the 
flight. Its much more relaxing not to rush. Plus I get time to catch up 
on email! ;-)

73, Eric   WA6HHQ

>
> On Thu, 2010-01-28 at 04:55 +0000, Ken Kopp wrote:
>   
>> One of Rose's customers who's just returned from an overseas 
>> trip commented that the TSA folks showed little interest in his 
>> K3, and that this may have been due to it being hand-carried
>> in an obviously made-for-the radio brand-labeled carry case. 
>>
>> 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
>>       ElecraftCovers at rfwave.net
>>
>>