+TreeTopFlyer94 Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Has anyone had any problems getting through airport security with their GPS? If so, please let me know what countries have a problem with handheld GPS's. Thank you, TreeTopFlyer Quote Link to comment
+KoosKoos Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Been in 3 countries and numerous states. No more problem than carrying an ipod. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Flown with mine several times, last month Birmingham/Charlotte/Pittsburgh, no problems. Quote Link to comment
+PazaUK Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Though they weren't switched on, both my Etrex and my TomTom have been in my carry-on thru Manchester, UK and Orlando International without a hitch. (Though I do wish I'd had the GPSr track our speed etc on the 747!!! - next time it will !!) Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Has anyone had any problems getting through airport security with their GPS? If so, please let me know what countries have a problem with handheld GPS's. Thank you, TreeTopFlyer I have, since having become a geocacher, traveled by commercial airliner to and from at least five countries (some of them in distant parts of Asia), and at least thirteen states in the USA, while carrying my GPSr in my carry-on backpack, and have never had the slightest problem. Quote Link to comment
+BlessedBees Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Several time domestic (U.S.) with no problem. I usually take it in my carry-on. They don't even require it to come out of the bag like they do for laptops. Quote Link to comment
+truckgirl2 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I've been to both Costa Rica and Mexico with my handheld GPS with no problems, as well as several US states. Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Nope, no problem at security or using it on the plane. The only problem I've had at security was taking two frozen flank steaks in my suitcase out of Midway (Chicago) last month And they stayed frozen in the insulated bag I bought all the way back to Boise, which took about 6 hours total. Quote Link to comment
+Scanlon Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I have carried mine all over the US and Europe. In fact I have found that it is ok to turn in on in plane when the pilot lets electronic equipment go on. Sit near a window and you will know how fast you are going, what your elevation is and best of all where you are. It is nice to look down and know you are crossing the Platt River etc etc etc Quote Link to comment
+Too Tall John Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I've never heard of anyone having troubles carrying on a GPS. Some airlines do, however, have rules against using them inflight. Check with the crew if you aren't sure, it doesn't pay to tick 'em off... Quote Link to comment
+FireRef Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yup I heard that one in a few other discussions... Makes perfect sense that they can control what you can do on the plane with a radio receiver which cannot, by law, generate any harmful interference. I'll step off my soapbox. Just love flying, and hate the crap that goes along with it... Quote Link to comment
+LadeBear68 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 They didn't mind the gps, phone, pda, laptop, digital camera or psp but they did have a problem with those funny looking geocoins and the horseshoes. Quote Link to comment
+Ladybug Kids Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 No problems whatsoever traveling to Canada, the UK, Germany, and France. I did have to mail a TB wrench back home because it was considered a "tool." Quote Link to comment
+Okiebryan Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Cuba has been known to take a GPSr or two from visitors. It's very inconsistent, your mileage may vary. Quote Link to comment
+Socorro Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Never have a problem carrying on my GPSr. But most flights I've been on say at cruising altitude that 'electronics can now be turned on' and yadda, and mention wireless internet devices and GPSr are not allowed to be turned on, ever. Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 In-flight use still depends on the airline. When I asked a Delta attendant the other day, she said NO. Other airlines like Air Canada and Northwest have said YES. Always ask. I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall? Not likely. Still, I wouldn't suggest getting into a technical argument with a flight attendant over it. Quote Link to comment
+Socorro Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 In-flight use still depends on the airline. When I asked a Delta attendant the other day, she said NO. Other airlines like Air Canada and Northwest have said YES. Always ask. I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall? Not likely. Still, I wouldn't suggest getting into a technical argument with a flight attendant over it. Agreed...GPSr don't transmit (in theory...) but yea, I wouldn't argue over it Quote Link to comment
Dj Storm Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Used the GPSr while flying over Europe, had no problem. But two weeks ago, a friend of mine was using a phone with GPS capabilities, and was told to turn it off, because of the phone aspect. Quote Link to comment
+Hrethgir Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I recently took a flight to Southern California, and I had 2 GPSrs with me, one in my carry on, and one in my hip pack (shut up, they're perfect for traveling and amusement parks!). Had zero problems with security. The Legend was in the hip pack, and I "forgot" to turn it off, got some cool tracks for Google Earth! Boeing 737, I believe it was, and we hit 598 MPH at one point on the flight back. Quote Link to comment
+DonB Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 What about a gps like my SP 2820 that doesn't use batteries. I've heard some airlines ask you to turn the device on to prove it's what you say it is. Quote Link to comment
+DonB Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) double post Edited November 24, 2008 by DWBur Quote Link to comment
+infiniteMPG Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Though they weren't switched on, both my Etrex and my TomTom have been in my carry-on thru Manchester, UK and Orlando International without a hitch. (Though I do wish I'd had the GPSr track our speed etc on the 747!!! - next time it will !!)Been thru Tampa, Atlanta, Omaha, Chicago (both) and never had an issue. Did have a co-worker with the same MAP60CSx who left his on during his flight and showed me his GPSr had trip information showing maximum speed was like 575mph. He cleared it before I could snap a picture of it so my last trip I tried it for chuckles... (shhhhh, don't tell TSA) but I never got a signal so got nothing... Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I've never had a problem. I usually carry any electronics in their own bag, so it can be opened up quickly if needed. That's never happened, but the screeners do take some extra time looking everything over. Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 While searching, I found this list of which airlines allow GPS usage and which ones don't. I'm sure it's not official, so it would be best to check with the airline/captain to be sure. Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) lWhile searching, I found this list of which airlines allow GPS usage and which ones don't. I'm sure it's not official, so it would be best to check with the airline/captain to be sure. I'm fairly certain on a Southwest flight last month that the list of approved devices in their magazine included GPS. Edited November 24, 2008 by GrateBear Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 The site said that SWA had changed their policy a couple times this year, so it's possible the magazine was old or they changed it again since the author updated it, which was in May. Quote Link to comment
+infiniteMPG Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 While searching, I found this list of which airlines allow GPS usage and which ones don't. I'm sure it's not official, so it would be best to check with the airline/captain to be sure. I'm fairly certain on a Southwest flight last month that the list of approved devices in their magazine included GPS.The appropriate term is approved use during CRUISE. Which mean you need to have them off during take off and landing. And good luck trying to obtain a satellite lock from powered off state in a big aluminum can while trolling along at 575mph.... let alone the attention you'd get while holding your GPSr over your head and moving it around trying to get a signal Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 My 60Cx will get a satellite lock inside one of those aluminum cans if I lean it up against the window and wait a few minutes. Once it's got the lock, it doesn't need to be that close to the window anymore. Quote Link to comment
+klossner Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 I recently held 3 GPSrs side-by-side in the forest and noticed they never interfered with each other in the slightest - so how would they interfere with another GPS in a cockpit way down the hall?It's not just the GPS in the cockpit they're worried about. It's all the airplane electronics. And what makes you think all the electronics are all in the cockpit? Modern aircraft run electrical buses throughout the plane. There might have been a bundle of wires in the floor just beneath your shoes. Anything that has an AC waveform, like a clocked signal, DOES transmit. That's a fundamental law of physics. The question is, what happens when that transmission is received by a system that wasn't specifically designed to handle it? And what about GPSrs that intentionally transmit? Like the Garmin Colorado and its ability to share waypoints with a neighbor? Or a Nuvi with its Bluetooth turned on? I was happy when Continental let me use my GPSr on a flight. But when Alaska Airlines didn't, I just sighed and read a book. Quote Link to comment
+Dread_Pirate_Bruce Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 The only problem I've had is when flying from Los Angeles to Hawaii ... they felt I was cheating on the half-way-over game. Quote Link to comment
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