Shipping a Radar-Advice?

"Doug Semler" wrote in message
news:SKSdnXUBluUXgkvbnZ2dnUVZ_tOtnZ2d@wideopenwest .com...
"Darrel Toepfer" wrote in message
. 18...
B A R R Y wrote:
"RST Engineering" wrote:

Do NOT ship UPS. Those *******s will find a way to screw up the
process one way or another, and we ship two to three hundred packages
a year.

Good advice for packing. As another data point, our bike shop's
experience is exactly the opposite for the two shipping companies
mentioned.

Same here, Fedex today dropped off a package, never rang the bell or
knocked on the door and left without a signature...

And they always do that, even leaving packages outside or in the rain...

UPS on the other hand always wants to tell me hello (and probably to get
something cool to drink)...


An FYI: You can contact FedEx and always require a signature (or hold) on
packages destined for your address. I do that because I have (on a
semi-regular basis) have high-value packages...

--
Doug Semler, MCPD
a.a. #705, BAAWA. EAC Guardian of the Horn of the IPU (pbuhh).
The answer is 42; DNRC o-
Gur Hfrarg unf orpbzr fb shyy bs penc gurfr qnlf, abbar rira
erpbtavmrf fvzcyr guvatf yvxr ebg13 nalzber. Fnq, vfa'g vg?

I took it to a local Package depot. They were professional, understood
my problem, and quoted me a price of $75 to build a 20" * 20" box, large
enough to hold both parts. The Antenna unit is bolted to the floor, through
bushings, and the entire wooden box is sent inside a cardboard box with a 2"
layer of peanuts. The fellow that is building the box is also an aircraft
owner, and is very meticulous. 2nd day air, and lots of insurance.

Thanks for your help, and if anyone needs to do it again, I know a guy
with a really neat box.

Al G

"Doug Semler" wrote:

An FYI: You can contact FedEx and always require a signature (or hold)
on packages destined for your address. I do that because I have (on a
semi-regular basis) have high-value packages...

I use my shipping dollars to geaux to the vendor that does the best job,
typically UPS or USPS... Doesn't matter the value, they'll have a tough
time not paying on an insured item that doesn't have a signature...

In rec.aviation.piloting Al G wrote:
We don't have to ship the pod, just the [radar] receiver/transmitter
and display. The R/T is probably 12" x 12", and weighs about 15 lbs.

One place I worked had to ship PCs across the country on a regular
basis. These were the usual mid-tower PC cases, about 8" x 16" x 16"
(20 x 40 x 40 cm). What ended up working the best was a heavy wall
cardboard box that was about 3" (7.5 cm) larger than the PC all
around, or about 14" x 22" x 22" (35 x 55 x 55 cm). One of the 22" x
22" sides was the top. There was 3" of foam in the bottom and against
the sides of the box. (Think "stiff seat cushion foam", not "foam
coffee cup.") The PC was laid in the middle of the box and another 3"
piece of foam went over it, then the box was taped shut. Once they
started using this packaging, we stopped having to reassemble each PC
when it got to the recipient.

They were able to get the foam and boxes made to order due to their
volume, but there is no reason you couldn't duplicate this with
packing peanuts. If you do use packing peanuts, put each individual
item in a plastic bag first - this keeps the recipient from having to
clean packing peanuts and little tiny pieces of packing peanuts out
of every crevice. If you're going to wrap the item with bubble wrap,
you can forgo the plastic bag, *as long as you tape up the bubble wrap*
so peanuts can't migrate into it. For electronics, you really should
use anti-static bags (silver or pink) or bubble wrap (usually pink).

Matt Roberds

"Al G" writes:

A friend has recently updated his C210's avionics with a largely
Garmin panel. Among the things removed was a King RDS81 weather
radar. [...] have to figure out how to get it there from Oregon, as
safely as possible. [...] The R/T is probably 12" x 12", and weighs
about 15 lbs.[...]

The thought makes me squirm. What some here may not realize is how
fragile the radar antenna can be. There is a sticker on mine (old
King RDR160) that warns against even *touching* the movable parts. I
would not risk plain old packing peanuts or bubble wrap, if the box
being held sideways or upside down causes a load upon these parts.

http://web.elastic.org/~fche/gallery..._4423.jpg.html

- FChE

"Frank Ch. Eigler" wrote in message
...

"Al G" writes:

A friend has recently updated his C210's avionics with a largely
Garmin panel. Among the things removed was a King RDS81 weather
radar. [...] have to figure out how to get it there from Oregon, as
safely as possible. [...] The R/T is probably 12" x 12", and weighs
about 15 lbs.[...]

The thought makes me squirm. What some here may not realize is how
fragile the radar antenna can be. There is a sticker on mine (old
King RDR160) that warns against even *touching* the movable parts. I
would not risk plain old packing peanuts or bubble wrap, if the box
being held sideways or upside down causes a load upon these parts.

http://web.elastic.org/~fche/gallery..._4423.jpg.html

- FChE

If that is really the case, which is quite possible, then the OP would be
faced with the prospect of engineering a real shipping crate within a
crate--or of renting one. If renting, the radar manufacturer might be a
source. Alternatively, the may have shipping instructions available.

It has now been about 20 years since I have handled this type of equipement,
although I have shipped a few computers since; but, to the best of my
recollection, the flat panel (slotted waveguide) antennas were much less
fragile than the parabolic antennas. However, with either type, the most
correct method of packing is to mount the intenna to the inside of one wall
of a rigid crate. The crate can then be placed inside a larger bax and
cushioned with bubble wrap, popcorn, etc. While the cushioning material
should not be overly compressed, it sould not be loose either--especially if
you use something like popcorn--or the inner box may be resting on the botom
by the time you bring it to the counter!

My experiences were always good with FedEx, Airborne, and RedBall. I am
sorry that no other such names come readily to mind.

Peter

(Frank Ch. Eigler) wrote in
:

The thought makes me squirm. What some here may not realize is how
fragile the radar antenna can be. There is a sticker on mine (old
King RDR160) that warns against even *touching* the movable parts. I
would not risk plain old packing peanuts or bubble wrap, if the box
being held sideways or upside down causes a load upon these parts.

What happens in turbulence?

Judah wrote:

[...] What some here may not realize is how fragile the radar
antenna can be. [...] I would not risk plain old packing peanuts
or bubble wrap, if the box being held sideways or upside down
causes a load upon these parts.

What happens in turbulence?

Clearly, it can handle that, but then it has only a few
ounces/decagrams of mass (the fragile mast in the middle) to move
along. If one tries to push the ten-pound magnetron/etc. disc through
the mast, a hundred times as much force would pass through the part.

- FChE

"Frank Ch. Eigler" wrote in message
...

Judah wrote:

[...] What some here may not realize is how fragile the radar
antenna can be. [...] I would not risk plain old packing peanuts
or bubble wrap, if the box being held sideways or upside down
causes a load upon these parts.

What happens in turbulence?

Clearly, it can handle that, but then it has only a few
ounces/decagrams of mass (the fragile mast in the middle) to move
along. If one tries to push the ten-pound magnetron/etc. disc through
the mast, a hundred times as much force would pass through the part.

So it sounds like mounting the radar to a piece of plywood, or something,
(like it is mounted on an airplane) and fastening that in a box, then
surrounding it with peanuts would be the right thing to do, no?
--
Jim in NC

Actually (a) the OP said he wanted to ship the RT unit and the display;
never said a frikkin' word about the antenna and (b) I'm not sure where
Eigler gets his information that the antenna is delicate. Having worked
directly with civilian aircraft weather radar for a long time, I have
absolutely no idea where Eigler is coming from and (c) nobody ever said a
word about packing a maggie directly on top of a delicate part. Separate
boxes come to mind unless you want argument for argument's sake.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Frank Ch. Eigler" wrote in message
...

Judah wrote:

[...] What some here may not realize is how fragile the radar
antenna can be. [...] I would not risk plain old packing peanuts
or bubble wrap, if the box being held sideways or upside down
causes a load upon these parts.

What happens in turbulence?

Clearly, it can handle that, but then it has only a few
ounces/decagrams of mass (the fragile mast in the middle) to move
along. If one tries to push the ten-pound magnetron/etc. disc through
the mast, a hundred times as much force would pass through the part.

So it sounds like mounting the radar to a piece of plywood, or something,
(like it is mounted on an airplane) and fastening that in a box, then
surrounding it with peanuts would be the right thing to do, no?
--
Jim in NC