Taking kit on holiday

[mark RD]

I have a holiday booked to go to the States for a couple of weeks and was thinking of taking a telescope with me.

I was Planning on taking my ED80 and an EQ2 mount. Just wondering if anyone has done this and if there is

anything I need to watch out for?

RD

[canuck]

Hi Mark,

Are you going to try and take the ED80 as hand luggage?

I took an ETX 90 (no tripod) on a trip with me to New Orleans & New York some years back (shortly after 9/11). I had no troubles whatsoever, but I made sure I informed the people scanning the baggage what was about to come through.

I was very concerned that the long cylindrical metal tube could be dreadfully misinterpreted.

:nono:

Otherwise, it was a pretty simple operation. I'd hate to have to think about checking one as cargo though...

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Aren't 'scopes fantastically cheap in the USA? It could be worth buying one there to bring back as luggage, just dump your clothes in the bin at the hotel before you pack.

Captain Chaos

[Macavity]

Probably best to WEIGH it all, at some stage? I was horrified to learn that, ALL my "grab and go" stuff, weighs the best part of 60lb (old money)! Somehow it seems less, spread over "several trips". But I do think I'd better start pruning a bit...

[Whippy]

My sister went over to the states about a month ago and she got me a Celestron Ultima Barlow for £30! The temptation to go mad and get a full set of Naglers was almost too much...If you're staying with someone Mark, you could order some gear with say OPT, get it delivered to their address and it'll be all there when you arrive.

All the American makes like Meade, Celestron, Televue are basically half price over there. What we pay in Pounds, they pay in Dollars and the exchange rate is pretty much 2:1 at the moment.

But things being what they are, especially going over to the States, you'll want to tell customs what you've got packed as they REALLY don't mess about over there anymore post 9/11. They fingerprint you and do a retina scan/photograph when you land these days...

[proflight2000]

Well there is the scam of course in that you identify your kit to the check in staff as "sports equipment" put your scope is a well padded sports bag and hey ho it also gets carried for free. This was identified by the IBTA a while ago as a way of by passing the Specific british airways rumble of making people pay for extra luggage. People are still putting clothes into golfing bags and they get away with it.

[GordonCopestake]

I'll second what has already been said, dont take a scope with you, bring one back. Even if you sell it again second hand or on ebay you'll make your money back if not make a profit.