[deadlierchair]

I expect that a few of us will be travelling on airplanes and going through security in the weeks to come for spring break related activities. I am wondering what the security people think of DIY-looking amplifiers like mint-container amps (Mint, CMoy, those types).

I have heard that sometimes they are confiscated? What have been people's experiences with this? Do you just have to explain what it is? I think if you have it in a bag and it just gets scanned it shouldn't be a problem - it looks like any other electronics board. Am I just being paranoid? I could have sworn that some people had problems...

 

[bLue_oNioN]

I remember GS's amp was confiscated by the TSA at the airport. He was pretty bummed out =/

 

[Darwin022]

YMMV.

Probably depends on the airport and how bored the TSA agents are. For instance, I flew out of DCA (Washington National, aka: "Reagan National" to Republicans) with: Zero Halliburton DZ5-Si, powerbook, plenty of assorted cables and adapters, ipod, cell phone, etys, bluetooth headset, other various gadgets. No problems. I also opted to keep my shoes on and they let me through.

Coming back through DES MOINES IOWA..... I should say: Des Moines International Airport.... They asked me to take my shoes off (after 3 signs said that it was OPTIONAL). I said "The signs say it is optional, I'm opting to leave them on"

I got pulled aside and patted down pretty well (almost strip searched); but I got to spare them the removal of my shoes.

I can see how a small, home made electronic device could be suspicious, however, make them do the little bomb/explosive swab on it and if they aren't in a pissy mood, you should be fine. Granted, if you finish the amp well and make it look non-home-made, might be less hassle

 

[Jester]

Every week I am on an airplane 3-5 days depending on my work schedule. Last year I traveled with a CMoy for 4 months without any hassel. I always make sure that i am very polite and when I have been asked what it is I plug it in and show them. You should have no problem traveling with your amp.

Now I travel with either a SuperDual or a SR-71 and never get bothered to explain what it is.

 

[kiwirugby]

This topic came up on the members' forum a while back after someone had two amps confiscated by TSA including an SR71. This was returned eventaully, but another DIY amp with rather messy wiring was not.

It happens.

I like to travel with all my portable gear plus an amp, but just to be sure I take a pre-stamped padded envelope with me so that if they want to confiscate it, I can leave security and post it back to myself.

One thing that has been said already: always be polite. It can really make a difference. These are troubling times, even for something as simple as listening to good sounds!

 

[deadlierchair]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby I like to travel with all my portable gear plus an amp, but just to be sure I take a pre-stamped padded envelope with me so that if they want to confiscate it, I can leave security and post it back to myself. One thing that has been said already: always be polite. It can really make a difference. These are troubling times, even for something as simple as listening to good sounds!

Those are two excellent suggestions. Number one I will be sure to be polite, and hopefully I can explain to them that it's not a bomb and they'll do their little bomb test on it and stuff...now, doing that in spanish (we're going to Mexico), now that's another story

But yeah, bringing an envelope is a great idea, maybe I will do that..

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby This topic came up on the members' forum a while back after someone had two amps confiscated by TSA including an SR71. This was returned eventaully, but another DIY amp with rather messy wiring was not. It happens. I like to travel with all my portable gear plus an amp, but just to be sure I take a pre-stamped padded envelope with me so that if they want to confiscate it, I can leave security and post it back to myself. One thing that has been said already: always be polite. It can really make a difference. These are troubling times, even for something as simple as listening to good sounds!

That is very, very disconcerting

 

[Kirosia]

IIRC, there was a thread regarding a friend of Jahn's as well.

 

[grasshpr]

I have also traveled quite a bit and on occasion I travel with my boss (who is indian). He constantly gets checked out at airports and his suitcase + carrying case are rigorously checked. I'm pretty sure that if my boss was an audiophile and brought his homemade amp to the airport, they would question him like crazy (might even confiscate the device) at the security checkpoint. I personally think its despicable, but what can we do nowadays.

Personally (and this is merely my humble opinion) I highly recommend those of you who do not want to lose your several hundred dollar amps to leave them at home. In this day and age, its just not worth the effort to test airport security personnel on our right to personal freedom (unless you have a point to make and your willing to fight for your rights).

If you want to go from point A to point B, then I think we should not test to see whether we need to go to point C (airport security hell). I'll be flying this week and for sure I will only bring mainstream devices on the flight (i.e., iPOD, notebook, and a good isolation earbud).

Heehee, I hope I didn't take too much of everyone's time.

 

[erikzen]

Wow! I guess I'm pretty lucky. I travel by plane fairly often and have carried all different components and amps. None have ever been confiscated. Once I was asked to show that it works but that's about it.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshpr I have also traveled quite a bit and on occasion I travel with my boss (who is indian). He constantly gets checked out at airports and his suitcase + carrying case are rigorously checked.

I carry Mini, SR-71, cables, EX71 and HD595s
With suit: no problem
Jeans, leather jacket: bag goes through the sniffer and then rescreened

 

[primer]

We (Aussies) travelling to the US are advised to leave our bags unlocked and at no circumstances have batteries in our possession. I think that applies to any visitor entering the US.

 

[TooNice]

Really? How things have changed.

I went to the US years back (its been ~10 years), and had no trouble with batteries (and Game Boy, the original beige one).

No batteries seems unreasonable. What if people want to carry cameras with them? Laptops? I think the rules are not to use them during take-off/landing, and no CD-Rom/players during the flight. The rest is fair play, is it not?

I suppose DIY electronics (as opposed to the well known Game Boy) might look a bit more suspicious, but I wouldn't have thought it would apply to other appliances..

 

[drewd]

I went to Mazatlan last Christmas. Flying from Boise to Denver to Mazatlan was no problem, not even an eyebrow raised at my Pimeta, but when I got to Mazatlan, they X-Rayed the baggage going through customs. I had to take the amplifier apart (something like 16 very tedious allen screws) and explain in really poor spanish that it was an amplifier. It wasn't so much the amp itself that I was worried about losing, it was the $50 case, $75 stepped attenuator and 16 NiMH batteries! I probably would have seriously considered leaving the PCB with them if they would let me take the rest. But it all turned out well.

On the return trip, it didn't get a second look. Go figure.

-Drew

 

[wolfen68]

Maybe I should do a career switch to airport security...then I can audition lots of different amps and ultimately pick out my dream rig from the collections of fellow Head-fi members

I took a go-vibe on a few (I think 3 or 4) U.S. domestic flights and had no problem. However, one time they ran my carry on through the x-ray an extra time and I noticed the technicians pointing at it on the monitor, but they eventually released it.