[Amps] Customs drilled a hole in my GU74b / 4CX800s

[Mike Andrews]

On Thu, Mar 01, 2012 at 05:48:48PM +0100, Tobias Wellnitz wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> a friend of mine recently was very generous and sent me four used 4CX800 /
> GU74b which he didn?t need anymore.
> 
> The tubes where traveling a while and through several non-EU countries.
> Today the parcel finally arrived.
> 
> I have already heard wild stories about customs, but I didn?t expect this:
> 
> *Customs drilled holes in two tubes and later opened them with a saw.
> 
> I compiled a couple of pictures on my website:
> 
> http://www.dh1tw.de/customs-break-my-tubes-4cx800-gu74b
> 
> Anyone else had already similar experiences?
> 
> *Btw: Is it true that these tubes contain Beryliumoxid and thoriated
> thungsten?
> 
> What is the health risk going out from an opened tube?

Customs in what countr(y|ies)? They must be absolutely insanely ignorant!

The health risk from BeO2 is minimal as long as the material is in a
solid mass; it is hazardous only when in the form of inhalable
particles. 

The quantity of Th in a single filament or heater is negligible, and so
is the radiation hazard from it.

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin