flying w/ a scanner

[topcop1833]

anyone have any issues flying out of richmond international w/ a scanner in carry-on? thanks in advance
-mike

 

[n4voxgill]

I fly regularly and have never had a problem.

gill

 

[KT4HX]

Same here, both domestically and internationally. I dont use it on the plane though, only in the airports. But have never been hassled.

 

[N_Jay]

What makes people THINK that there is a problem?

 

[KT4HX]

I would venture to say someone that hasn't flown with a scanner before and uncertain how the TSA would react to it given the increased security. At least that would be my guess. Personally I have never worried about carrying electronics and I flew internationally at the end of Sept 01 when things were really squirrely.

 

[LEH]

I have traveled with my scanners for years and only had one problem. That was shortly after 9/11 and some over zealous clown from TSA tried to confiscate them. I told him to get a supervisor and he became educated.

One thing I'd be careful of is to make sure scanners are legal where you are going. Police (NOT TSA) in Indiana can CONFISCATE a scanner if it is being used anywhere but your home. Kentucky isn't much further behind (so be careful if you scan at the Cincinatti airport [located in KY]).

 

[lburke19]

I always travel with a handheld. I can recall only one time a screener said anything and that was to remind me not to turn the thing on during the flight. Since 9/11 nobody has said a thing. Also, if I'm listening in an airport, I make sure I have headphones or earbuds.

 

[LEH]

lburke19 is right on the earphone or ear bud. I let my stero ear buds do double duty. LIsten to the scanner (or scanners) in the airport and the mp3 player on the plane.

For those who travel with multiple scanners, RS has an adapter (designed for airplane audio systems no less) that will take two mono signals an put them into a stero output. You will need a couple of short mono cables as the adapter length is only about three or four inches. You get a scanner in each ear.

 

[dynamitedjs]

Luckily the 396 will work well with stereo headphones. It comes out of both headphones. NO ADAPTER NEEDED!

 

[LEH]

I use the adapter to listen to two scanners at the same time. Usually have one keyed for freqs from the data base and the other in the search mode. The 396 has close call turned on too.

 

[fireradio]

I flew from DCA to Fort Myers, FL a month or two ago, carrying a crappy old Radio Shack Pro-92 scanner in my carry on bag, and the TSA-dork stopped my bag under the x-ray machine and stared at it for a good, long time. He finally asked me, "is that some sort of radio in there?" to which I answered it's a scanner... he gave me a bad look and continued to stare at it. Seeing that he was bound and determined to cause trouble, I finally pulled out my fire department identification and showed it to him, after which he was kind enough to let me go on my way AFTER a screener felt around in my backpack for a while (though oddly enough the screener never even payed attention to the radio - or anything else in particular!)

I guess it's a good thing I didn't try bringing my XTS3000 along!

 

[n4jri]

Interesting! The 396 takes stereo headphones. Do its instructions include a warning not to use mono phones?

73/Allen (N4JRI)

 

[Al42]

Interesting! The 396 takes stereo headphones. Do its instructions include a warning not to use mono phones?

No reason not to - it works just as well with either.

 

[RDCat]

no problems on any of my trips with my pro 96 and pro 83 in my carry-on