Had a play with one of the 'x-ray' machines recently 'cos of an EIP counter
I was hand luggaging home that caused a few raised eyebrows- I was quite
early for the flight and there was no-one else in the queue so I spent about
5 minutes with the machine operator trying all the options out-after I
showed them what it was.

They can use varying degrees of apparent visual depth and different
artificial colours, so the screen picture can be quite complex.  It's a bit
like having a camera with a small depth of field and adjusting the zoom so
you can start at the top of something and look at all the 'layers' on the
way through to the bottom as the 'zoom' gets changed. The end result is that
the innards of most items can be seen in quite some detail.
But thick solid metallic things that can't be readily seen inside of (e.g.
the power transformer in the counter in this case) are definitely subject to
more than the average scrutiny!
73
Dave
ZL3FJ

To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: LF: CT1/G3KEV

Dave, G0MRF said:

>I find that the X-ray machines hate the solid metal base of some morse
keys.
>Apparently the density of block of Semtex has a similar effect on
>the image displayed on the security monitors.

Can these machines tell the difference between a metal box of components,
such as a rig, ATU or PSU and a solid block of a CW key?
I was more concerned about weight (as the XYL seemed to want to pack her
entire wardrobe) so I used a lightweight CW paddle that was fixed to a
clipboard that contained all the amateur radio papers.
I put all my ham radio gear into a separate small case which I never saw
again until it reluctantly appeared at baggage reclaim. I carried my

laptop

and antenna mast (fibre glass telescopic roach pole, used as a walking
stick) as hand luggage. I specifically asked that the laptop didn't go
through the xray machine so that was the only item that got looked at.

Peter G3LDO