Airport Security Checks and Air Pressure Transmitter

[fftdbz]

Based on the new guidelines for travelling with electronic equipment and the fact that they should be able to be powered on if requested, has anyone been subject to this check when travelling with an air pressure transmitter connected to a regulator that is being hand carried?
In theory, the air pressure transmitter would be categorised as an 'electronic equipment' since it's battery powered. I am travelling from Heathrow to Malta in a couple of days and I have put the question to the CAA (no reply), the UK Dept of Transport (they referred me back to the airport) and then Heathrow. The representative from Heathrow didn't seem to have looked into the details of the equipment that I sent in (for a Suunto Air Transmitter) and gave me the standard "if it's electronic and you can't power it on, then you won't be allowed to travel with it."

Any thoughts/experiences would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[tursiops]

I doubt it will ring any bells, but if you are worried then unscrew it and put it in your checked luggage. put a port plug in the reg to keep it clean.

 

[fftdbz]

Thanks for the advice tursiops. I might do that to be on the safe side.

 

[fire_diver]

Or carry the instructions for it. I seriously doubt they would have any clue what they are looking at or that it is "electronic" The intent of the rule is for computers, video games, radios, etc. to show that they are packed with explosives instead of electronics.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Someone give this guy a Good Little Drone of the Day gold star!
-TSA Tony

First, don't ask for permisson like you're conversing with a rational entity about something that's up for discussion. They're not, and it's not. Just take the stupid thing.

Second, these people are not your friends, they aren't there to help you, and they aren't even there to make your trip safer. Don't treat them like they are. If asked "what" it is, give the bare minimum amount of info necessary to truthfully answer the question without volunteering unhelpful (to you) information. I.e., if asked 'What is that thing on your reg?', the answer is not "An electronic device used for measuring air pressure in a SCUBA tank, sir!" (though I'd give bonus points for that response's chances of making them think you're also hiding a SCUBA tank somewhere). The answer is a casual, unelaborated "Oh, that's a pressure gauge."

Third, if they back you into a corner and you're forced to admit you have something with a battery in it, just bring your computer, turn it on, and say "Yep, now it's on-you can see the data from it on the screen here." End of conversation.

 

[t-mac]

I agree, I doubt anyone would even recognize it as electronic. I travel with mine all the time in place in my carry on. Not sure when exactly the new rules came into effect, but I have seen people have to turn on their computers. That's what the rule is really for -- yeah I know. The only really interesting time I've had with security and my regulator was in rural Gujarat India. I had a business trip and had my reg in my carry on. They obviously don't get much of that and so the security guy looked carefully at it and asked what it was. I told him and he still looked perplexed, so I explained that it was for breathing under water. He asked, "why would you want to do that?" Indeed, we were in the desert! After a little more discussion he let me go -- without even asking me to turn on the pressure transducer.

 

[LowVizWiz]

I carry on my reg set with a transmitter to multiple countries; and no no one in the US or elsewhere has ever asked or seemed to care.

 

[tursiops]

I carry on my reg set with a transmitter to multiple countries; and no no one in the US or elsewhere has ever asked or seemed to care.

Me too. But I'm certainly not going to call their attention to it, especially by saying it has a battery and you can't see that and I can't show you. "Kick me," says the sign on my back.