Eastern Railroad Discussion > Scanner v. TSA

I'm almost embarrassed to ask this question but has anyone had any problems taking a scanner through airport security (along with camera and laptop)?

Picture of foreign power in Binghamton October '05 ;-)

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No. I usually pack mine in my luggage, though.

Not at all, though if you have a roof mount antenna, it is best to unpack that and put it in a separate tub. The large magnet in the base will be an unknown solid object, and very likely result in a bag check. Save yourself and the screeners a few minutes of time and go ahead and take it out. This process is for carry-on baggage, rather than checked, if you aren't checking a bag in which you can put your scanner.

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

No problems with laptops or cameras. They never even pulled my camera out of my bag. You'll need to have the laptop out in its own bin though. Never tried a scanner, but I dont think it would be a problem.

If you value any electronic possessions, put them in your carry-on. If you check it, expect it to not be there when you get your bags!

Chris Hamby
Richmond, VA

I have packed my scanner in my checked bags multiple times and its never gotten stolen. I have also packed my Ham Radio in my checked bag a few times and never had a problem.

It is a general rule of thumb, "don't put anything in your checked baggage you can not live without it being stolen." Putting electronics in checked baggage is also more likely to cause someone to have to go though said bag. Then all bets are off!

I have taken my fire and police radios (which are similar to the TSA's radios) and have never had a problem...along with the GPS, laptop, camera's and all the other electronic implements of destruction in my backpack.

Only once in the last 6 years has anyone said anything, and it was real recent. However, they were training a new guy and he thought one of the extra batteries had a bomb signature and needed to be inspected. The trainer tells him "nope, its just a radio like ours". Pulled it out and showed it next to theirs.

Of course I was having a little fun with him too, but I have some credintials to back it up :)

Again, anything of value, take it onboard.

I recently went thru Chicago Ohare and in my carry on was a laptop, scanner and all the assorted cords, cell phone and other items.

I did NOT have any problems! In fact they were very nice and polite.

Randy

Just as an FYI: For those still using film, even post 9/11, you are still able to ask for and receive hand inspection in the United States only. If you travel to Euorpe or other countries they do not honor that request.

Cameraman Wrote:
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> Just as an FYI: For those still using film, even
> post 9/11, you are still able to ask for and
> receive hand inspection in the United States only.
> If you travel to Euorpe or other countries they do
> not honor that request.


As a follow on to this, take your film cassettes (exposed and unexposed) out of the plastic canisters and put them in a zip lock style clear plastic bag. It makes your film cassettes readily identifiable to the checkers and they will do a hand inspection of EACH film cassette.

I might add that a couple of years ago, I asked for and had no problems with having my film hand inspected at Kansai International Airport (Japan) and Taoyuan International Airport (Taiwan).

Happy Trails,

daniel

When I travel, I'll 'declare' (read announce) the electronic items to the screeners so what they see makes sense to them. Sometimes, they will ask me to turn an item to verify it works. I also do this with the luggage. Saves a boarding gate search by declaring the 20 lbs of children's books in it! <grin> Overall, works well for me. Now if I could only carry enough water with me <frown>

Richard "Goose" Zimmerman, ke4rit
Miskawaka, IN


JPB Wrote:
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> I'm almost embarrassed to ask this question but
> has anyone had any problems taking a scanner
> through airport security (along with camera and
> laptop)?
>
> Picture of foreign power in Binghamton October '05
> ;-)

Carry-on scanners are not a risk to slide film under 800 ASA. However, I twice asked TSA to do a hand check (to see if it was a hassle) and both times TSA refused. TSA's position is that any article detachable from your person without leaving you in an immodest state has to go though the x-ray.

Don't play the pre-9/11 lead-lined bag game. It will only get you in trouble. Lead-lined bags are so 1970-ish.

Scanners in your carry-on have never been a problem. Sophisticated electronics are part of almost everyone's carry-on these days and the screeners are well trained on what is what.

I have never had a theft from checked baggage. One of the deterrents is the extensive video surveillance that baggage handling areas now have. Baggage handlers are now criminal background checked and any airport crime by an insider is going to get an FBI file at the very least. Damage is the biggest risk to checked items. Check and see if your insurance company offers an all-risk, no deductible personal article floater. These riders are a cheap way to insure your cameras and radios (airlines are only liable for $500 max and claims with them are a major hassle).

Watch your bags in the carousel area, however. Most airports have eliminated the baggage claim checkers.

Bob

I've had no problems bringing my scanner through airport security.

I did have my laptop lost/stolen from checked baggage however, so I'd recommend carrying on anything small and valuable.

Just be careful with the scanner...it is an VHF-FM receiver and WILL interfere with aircraft communications, which are also VHF, although in a different frequency band. Don't have it out in flight or the F/A's might get nervous and don't turn it on unless you want a pilot standing beside you saying some really nasty things. Embarrassing...

a737flyer Wrote:
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> Just be careful with the scanner...it is an VHF-FM
> receiver and WILL interfere with aircraft
> communications, which are also VHF, although in a
> different frequency band. Don't have it out in
> flight or the F/A's might get nervous and don't
> turn it on unless you want a pilot standing beside
> you saying some really nasty things.
> Embarrassing...

Why should an FCC-compliant VHF RECEIVER interfere with anything in the VHF communications band? I think this is techno-mythology, like a lot of other things you hear about electronics and aviation.

Ray

bnsfbob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Carry-on scanners are not a risk to slide film under 800 ASA. However, I twice asked TSA to do a hand check (to see if it was a hassle) and both times TSA refused. TSA's position is that any article detachable from your person without leaving you in an immodest state has to go though the x-ray.

-------------------------------------------------------

On film:

TSA carries the following on their web site (at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1035.shtm):

"If the same roll of film is exposed to X-ray inspections more than 5 times before it is developed, it is possible that damage may occur. Protect your film by requesting a hand-inspection for your film if it has already passed through the carry-on baggage X-ray screening equipment more than five times."

I have always asked for hand inspections of my Provia 100 film and in years past would sometimes get the "you don't need to worry about it unless it is ASA 800 or more" lecture, but I was always able to persuade the inspectors to do a hand check anyway. Since TSA took over the inspection process, I have actually found that I get better cooperation on this than I did in the days when private security companies (each with their own rules and training regimens) did the checking.

However, on a recent trip, I got a stern lecture from one of the TSA people (after she had already hand-checked my film) about the fact that hand-inspection of film was totally up to the discretion of the local TSA people. In the future, she said, TSA was going to be less cooperative about hand-checking film. I cited the information on the TSA web site about requesting a hand-inspection in the event of previous passes through the X-ray machines and she said that information was obsolete. I don't know if this signals a change in policy at TSA or if this was just her pet peeve.

On scanners:

After going through the X-ray on another recent trip, my carry-on bag was set aside for hand inspection by the TSA folks, who were apparently puzzled by the appearance of the scanner on the X-ray. The guy who opened my bag looked at the scanner and said, "police scanner?" I said, yes, and he said, "that's fine," and sent me on my way without any further hassle.

Tom Murray
Martinez, CA

http://tmrail.com/

>Why should an FCC-compliant VHF RECEIVER interfere with anything in the VHF communications band? I think this is
>techno-mythology, like a lot of other things you hear about electronics and aviation.

Because of the way a super-heterodyne radio receiver (nowadays that covers pretty much all receivers) works it will give off RF energy of various frequencies, not just in the band being received.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Heterodyne_receiver

I also requested a hand inspection of my film the two times I've flown post-9/11. I'm shooting Provia 100 that I transport chilled in a small cooler. Since the hand inspection involves them opening each canister which subjects the film to an abrupt temperature change, next time I have to fly I'm planning to locate a camera store near my destination and get my film there. The concern here is condensation due to the film canister abruptly changing temperature.

You are correct sir.

superhet receivers will put out frequency multiples all over the spectrum. They aren't very strong but could conceivably interfere with onboard navigation and communications equipment. Do you want to take a chance?

I put my scanner and GPS in my checked luggage when I flew home last Fall and had no problems. In regards to film, I carried my camera bag and laptop with me as carry-on luggage, and asked for a hand inspection on the 1 roll of film I had left that I hadn't used yet. I had the other 10 rolls developed at a camera shop in Irvine, CA and put the already processed slides in my checked luggage. Well, as others have reported, the TSA inspector refused to hand-inspect the 1 roll of unexposed film telling me if it was under ISO 800, the machines wouldn't hurt the film. Not wanting argue with the inspector, I sent that roll through the machine. It would later become a "test" roll to see if one of my camera body motor-drives was working correctly as it was now ruined and couldn't be used! There is a graphic on it prompting you to protect it from X-ray! In other words, that was a $10.00 roll of film I now had to throw away!!! As I'm sure anyone on this board who shoots Professional slide film knows, this film isn't cheap and isn't available at your neighborhood Wal-Mart! I have to order mine online most any time I need it or be charged the GDP of some small country for it at a camera store!