Ed,
I have found that arrival personnel don't care much about licenses, CEPT
permits, etc. Your biggest problem travelling with radio gear is going to be
customs. I'd advise you to seek out a local baggage handler to help with your
bags when you get them off the plane. Having a local seems to "breeze" the
luggage through without as many questions. It's no guarantee, but it's usually
worth the cost of a few bucks per bag. If customs does start asking questions,
don't lie about the value of your radio. They are now using the internet to
look up the values. In my opinion, it's best to offer to pay a bond up front
with the understanding you will be taking the equipment when you leave. They
will give you lots of official looking papers with stamps and signatures. Often
they will make notes in your passport of what you brought in. There are times
that it has taken me days to jump through all of the hoops.
I would advise that you run your itinerary of countries that you plan to visit
by this group or a similar forum. Chances are, someone has been to that
location recently and can advise you. I've also found that customs experiences
can be very different based on time of day, your attitude, and random
luck-of-the-draw. Just be prepared for problems, and hope you can avoid them.
I am concerned about the new regulations that our own beloved TSA has put into
place in the past few months. Supposedly we now have to demonstrate that the
gear will power up to prove it is not a terrorist device. If we can't power it
up to their satisfaction, it gets confiscated. It's happened to cell phones and
computers. I haven't heard of any problems YET with ham stuff. At the very
least, I will have to stop my usual practice of packing a transceiver and power
supply in different cases.
73,
Will AA4NC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 11:31:15 -0600 (MDT)
From: Ed Richardson <ed_richardson@shaw.ca<mailto:ed_richardson@shaw.ca>>
To: CQ-Contest@contesting.com<mailto:CQ-Contest@contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Travelling for Contestest or Dxpeditions
Message-ID:
<2146888160.79024577.1411061475178.JavaMail.root@cds016<2146888160.79024577.1411061475178.JavaMail.root@cds016">mailto:2146888160.79024577.1411061475178.JavaMail.root@cds016>>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
I am just getting ready to leave on my first mini Dxpedition and started to
wonder, and worry, how many problems will I face traveling with all sorts of
radio equipment and electronics?
For those that routinely make these treks either for contests or DXpeditions,
are you faced with grueling questions on why you have this equipment and do you
have to explain the whole DXpedition idea. Should I expect that "I am traveling
for pleasure purposes and will be using amateur radio while here" should
suffice? Of course having the necesary travel documenst and copies of radio
licenses goes without saying?
With contest and DXpedition season about to kick off, is there any other travel
advice from the veterans out there.
Regards
Ed. VE4EAR
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