Sending Video Tape through airport security

[Bob Hayes]

I do a lot of world travel and I am concerned about sending video tape through the scanning machines. An LAX site recommended putting video tape in your hand carry luggage. I have always had my videos hand checked. This is becoming more and more difficult. Any info on this would be much appreciated.

 

Bob

[John Pytlak RIP]

High coercivity videotape is unlikely to be affected, but because of the wide variety (power levels and types) of baggage scanners, probably safest to treat it like unprocessed film. Here are the Kodak recommendations:

 

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/...l/xrayAir.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/...cal/xray4.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/h340.shtml

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editori...torial_1248.xml

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editori...torial_1035.xml

 

High altitude transportation does increase the exposure level to natural radiation (e.g., recent "solar storms"). This can affect both unprocessed film, and sensitive electronic devices like CCD sensors (permanent "dead pixels"). So avoid air shipping when severe solar storms are predicted:

 

http://www.noaa.gov/solar.html

 

http://www.sec.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/

 

Old low coercivity magnetic media could be affected by stray magnetic fields, such as from the motors driving the conveyer system or maybe close proximity to the magnetometer.