[TenTec] Best Shipping Carrier

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

They're all pretty bad, these days.  A lot depends on who your local delivery person for that carrier is.  Some care, many do not.
Over the years, overall, I've had the worst experiences with the Boys in Brown.  (And Gals too, alliteration aside).  I once was having a rig delivered, my wife was at home that day in the living room, and the delivery person didn't even knock on the door, just left a note.  Twice.  I had to go to the local UPS depot and pick it up personally... 2 days later, after they lost and found it.
I've had better luck with USPS.  But I still recall shipping an old Ameritron amp to the West Coast... the spare tubes went separately and arrived in 2 days.  The amp got as far as the Oregon town it was to be delivered in, then went to Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, back to Texas, and then finally back to Oregon for delivery.  (Tracking numbers can be wonderful things)
Local Fed Ex are hit & miss.  I've had letters (paychecks actually) and packages left in my driveway, in the weather, considered "delivered" -- not up on the covered porch.  The one paycheck my wife actually drove over before she realized what it was.  I had a repaired Omni VII tossed in with the trash cans on the side of the garage... fortunately, not on a trash day!
No matter who you pick, it's a roll of the dice.  Double box at least, make sure everything is secure, document (pictures) if necessary, and don't scrimp on the insurance.
And pack it yourself.  I've seen how some of the "office" places pack things.  "Professional" sometimes only means that they get paid.  
Finally, if a shipper tells you that they MUST inspect the package and packing job before they'd ship it (I had this one pulled on me at an Office Depot once), go elsewhere.  It's a ruse, more often than not, to find an excuse to sell you additional packing materials, starting with a new outer box (as the original one is now deemed unusable, because it's been opened.  By them.)
73, ron w3wn


-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Knox via TenTec <tentec at contesting.com>
To: tentec at contesting.com
Cc: Richard Knox <knoxcol at aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Jul 21, 2022 11:36 am
Subject: [TenTec] Best Shipping Carrier

Hello TT Fans!
 I am going to be shipping several TT radios soon from Central Florida to destinations in the US. From your experience, can you share with me what you believe to be the best Carrier, both for price and for safe delivery? Thank you and 73!  de KD4BRL  Dick Knox
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