Category — TI5/K9JY

It was an uneventful ride from Seattle to Phoenix. US Airways had a nice flight. With all the time changes, I never really know the actual flight time until I get on the plane and they announce it. The flight time to Phoenix was about two hours and thirty minutes.

That’s a little different from Phoenix to San Jose, Costa Rica. Flight time: five hours. So, for the day, getting here from the airport in Seattle to landing time in Costa Rica will have been about 13-hours elapsed time, including layovers. Looks like two vacation days to me just getting there and back.

Five hours is a long time to be seated on a plane, especially a window seat. Fortunately, the plane from Phoenix to San Jose wasn’t completely full. I scored a first class upgrade for $150. For that price, I was on it like white on rice.

A couple ahead of me vacillated on the decision and at the moment decided not to take the upgrade. Good thing — there were only two first class seats open. So now I have one of them…and the seat next to me is empty. Room, space, ability to write blog posts…very nice.

Score!!

Scot, K9JY

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I’m sitting at the gate, waiting for the US Airways plane to go from here to Phoenix. Once in Phoenix, I change planes and continue on to San Jose, Costa Rica. The flight leaves Seattle at 8:20 AM and I don’t get into San Jose until about 10:00 PM Costa Rican time tonight. Costa Rica is in the Central Time Zone, it looks like a two hour difference.

Up this morning at 4:15 AM to get ready, load the car, and get to the airport. The airport, at 5:45 AM, is pretty quiet — except for Starbucks, of course.

Checking in was uneventful. I went through the security lines and that was uneventful. That was surprising.

I am carrying on two bags chock full of everything needed for the radio and computer set up for the time in TI. That includes a Lenovo T-60 laptop and power supply, two mice, a Kenwood 570D, Kenwood power supply, a microHAM USB interface, all associated connecting cables, a Bencher paddle, Bose headphones, Heil headphones, my Treo, and iPod.

I went right through security and the x-ray machines and no one blinked an eye.

Now, in Bermuda, in my checked bag which they run through x-ray right there, they stopped me and had me open up the bag because they saw the Bencher paddle. Just the paddle. It’s very bright on the x-ray machine because of the nice, solid base.

In the trip to Bermuda, I never made it through any security checkpoint without opening up the bags (a reason I have a copy of my FCC license with me…). But, not this time. Zoom zoom.

Interesting.

Scot, K9JY

Today was spent getting organized for the trip; tomorrow (Super Bowl Sunday) will be mostly spent packing and making sure all the essentials are in place.

It is amazing how much lists can help out on a trip like this. When I went to Bermuda with the boys, I came back and immediately made a list of what things I wanted to take - or not take - the next time based upon my experiences at VP9. A year and a little bit later, that list has really paid for itself along with dividends.

This trip I don’t have to bring along the amplifier — and that is no small thing. The amp itself would take a complete suitcase (a Pelican, to be precise) and weighs in at a good 40 or so pounds on the airplane scale. Weight, for those who travel overseas, is critical.

I’ve also purchased a different bag for the radio, which I get to try out the first time tomorrow when I pack. We’ll see how it works out.

But the theme of the packing this time is to pare back, pare back, pare back. Essentials and everything radio. The rest will work itself out.

Scot, K9JY