[Hallicrafters] Help needed to ship an antenna to Russia

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 8 Mar 2006 at 19:04, William L Howard wrote:

> I recently got a Cushcraft antenna for a friend in Russia. I am now
> told that the post office will only accept packages 42 inches long for
> overseas shipment. The small rods of the antenna are 49 inches. The
> longest base part is 63 inches.

I had the same problem when I sold a airplane "football" loop to a 
Polish gentleman for use in the restoration of a Polish B-24 that 
was shot down during an especially dangerous mission during 
WWII.

> 
> Does anyone know of a way to get this antenna shipped to Russia?

After some communications between myself and the buyer, we 
contacted the Polish Embassy in Washington D.C. One of the 
officials there arranged to get it shipped to Poland through their 
services, possibly in a "diplomatic pouch".

>  UPS
> will take it at a cost of $800+ dollars so that is out of the
> question.

Yes. It would have cost well over $600 to ship this loop via FedEx 
or UPS, which weighed all of about 20 lbs. all because it was 
"oversize".

> 
> Is anyone planning a trip to Europe in the near future who would be
> willing to carry the antenna along with them?

That might be a good way to do it. I would imagine that if you 
contacted the Russian Embassy without first informing the U.S. 
Gummint someway, it might look bad for you sometime in the 
future...then again, it might not. 

Still, if it was me, I think I might ask someone who might know 
more about it than I do before I did that. Or perhaps you could have 
the fellow on the other end contact them for you. Actually, "for 
himself".

In any case, my loop got to the Polish Museum crew and they were 
very grateful for it.

The official at the Polish Embassy later sent me an extremely 
interesting book on Polish fighter pilots who flew for the RAF during 
WWII, for which I was very grateful. The book is absolutely 
fascinating.

Ken Gordon W7EKB