[CQ-Contest] HF Transceiver Carry-On

[Mark Beckwith]

K9MA asked:

> Does anyone have recent experience boarding a plane from the US with
> a small HF transceiver in carry-on luggage?


Yaa.  I usually do this a couple times a year.  No problem with security.  I 
carry two IC-746PROs.  "One is my carry-on.  The other is my personal item." 
They usually get special treatment at the metal detectors/x-ray machines and 
my suitcases full of power supplies, cables, etc always have TSA docs in 
them when I arrive at my destination, but it all gets there without 
incident.  Never had anything stolen.

I carry licenses, manuals, docs, contest rules and results, etc, and have 
never had to get that stuff out to convince anyone.  They always let it 
through quickly (in the USA at least).  Getting radios through customs of 
other countries is another story but is not what you asked.  That's where 
all that documentation is more likely to be real handy.  I also have docs 
from US Customs showing I am the owner of the radios dated back to 2004 (you 
can get these by taking the gear by your local customs office).

I bought two of the dorkiest looking roller suitcases at Dayton last year 
($15 each) - rolling document cases that happened to be the perfect size for 
my Icoms with about 2" padding all around - real nice.  I dry-ran one last 
week on a trip to San Diego and it fits under the seat on a Super-80.  I'm 
tired of lifting the Icoms.  Rolling them will be easier.  I had been using 
Pelican 1510s.  Great cases but carrying two of them together got old. 
These rollers even stack.

Mark, N5OT