[Elecraft] Shipping Overseas (Was: Re: FS: K3/100, P3, KPA500, more...)

[Joel Black]

I don’t ship overseas for one reason - I got screwed.

I have no idea to what countries I can and cannot mail amateur radio equipment. Unfortunately, I mailed to a country with whom we are not allowed to mail such items. The receiving country did not accept it but they did damage it extensively. I got it back and the USPS would not honor the insurance (although they gave me a refund of the insurance) I bought because I mailed to a country with whom we cannot mail amateur radio equipment (I hope you noticed the fully circular monologue there - that’s a small amount of what I endured). They accepted it at our local PO but would not honor the insurance. All of this took about six months.

You could argue that it’s my fault, but in my job, I am paid to inform others of the potential risks of their actions. I do take responsibility for my actions. I don’t claim fault with my actions though. I hope you understand the difference.

For *that* reason, I *refuse* to send overseas. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt (and the months of paperwork) and the loss of equipment to prove it.

I still use the USPS because they’re about the least expensive way to send items (UPS has almost doubled their prices over the past few months). I don’t use FedEx much because you have to look them in the face and say, “Pick that up and take it with you.”

As for DHL… They have:

1. When no one’s around, left packages lodged in the barbed-wire around our office.
2. When no one’s around, thrown items over the fence.
3. When no one’s around, left items between the gate and gate post that either fall or get crushed.

I thought DHL was out of business but just within the past week, they delivered one of my daughters’ textbooks to the house after 9:30PM (we go to bed earlier than that) in the rain. Luckily, the seller had wrapped the book in plastic a couple of times so we took no damage.

I would’t ship an anvil with DHL afraid they’d find that magic rubber mallet and break it!

Back to your regularly scheduled Elecraft information.

73,
Joel - W4JBB