The Kenwood transceivers are heavy, ranging from about 20 pounds for the TS-1xx or TS-4xx series, 30 to 38 pounds for the TS-5xx and TS-8xx hybrids, and 45 to 50 pounds for the TS-9xx series. They must be packed with care to avoid shipping damage, and insurance is recommended.
Shipping in the original Kenwood double box set with foam inserts is best. Otherwise, double boxing is recommended. For the hybrids, an inner box of 16x16x12 inches is about right, with an outer box of 18x18x16 inches. Smaller boxes will suffice for the smaller transceivers such as the TS-120 or TS-50, but the TS-940S and similar sized others, larger boxes will be needed. Too large a box is not necessarily better because the transceiver must be held in place firmly with shock absorbent packing material. Bubble wrap, crumpled newsprint or butcher paper, and styrofoam peanuts or sheet are very good for packing the transceiver in the inner box and between the inner and outer boxes. The transceiver should be wrapped with bubble wrap or placed in a plastic bag to keep packing debris out.
Special attention is required for the bottom of the inner box since it must support the weight of the transceiver most of the time (until the carrier turns it upside down, of course). Put the shipping label on the top of the box so that it will remain oriented that way most of the time during shipment. The plastic feet support the transceiver case just fine, but since they protrude, they can penetrate the box, so packing material must be arranged to pick up some of the load between the feet. A styrofoam sheet cut to fit between the feet over the bottom of the transceiver and taped in place works very well.
Another item requiring special attention is the tuning knob. It must not support any load or come into direct contact with the box. If your transceiver has a tuning knob with a protruding turning handle, it's best to remove it and pack it in its own small container in the inner box. The other knobs need protection, too, so use soft packing between the front panel and the box with more rigid support at the edges of the panel. The removable power cords on earlier hybrids also protrude. Detachable power cords need not be sent since they are available in the shop, but if included for testing, they should be removed and packed separately in the inner box.
The shipping address is: David Lyndon, 6250 Port Tobacco Road, La Plata, MD 20646. This southern Maryland location is centralized for points east of the Mississippi, and one way shipping cost should be $40 or less for all but the heavier TS-9xx series, which will be $50 or less. Western locations will cost proportionately more. Be sure to include a packing slip inside the outer box listing the contents and the addresses of the sender and receiver.
UPS ground and Fedex ground are preferred carriers for these heavy items, but the US Postal Service is satisfactory with careful packing. USPS priority mail may be less expensive and faster for more distant locations. Note that there is a size limitation for Priority Mail: 108 inches maximum length plus girth.
SHIPPING SUGGESTIONS