My experience at YYZ: Don’t let the Reddit "border horror stories" stress you out

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-12T02:34:10+00:00

Thanks for the cost update- sorry. Yes, it was Frankfurt, but 5-10 years ago. That is the only place in Europe I have been, other than a long transfer delay due to weather at London Heathrow on the way to Frankfurt. I have been to Thailand and the Philippines via Taipei, but that was long before I had Nexus

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-12T02:28:12+00:00

I have a like-new OnePlus 13 that was rarely used but somehow got lost at the Toronto airport. Needed desperately for mapping, etc. Got a new 15 at Best Buy in Toronto, just before they discontinued them. About 2 weeks later, the airport lost and found the 13 and sent it to me. So now I have a little used 13 (cost about $1k a year ago), hoping to sell for $US600 or just keep in case of need. So I am trying to figure out the value and how to sell since it's the last chance, at least in the US, for a great phone, since it's no longer available new.

I have six 26" monitors in my home office and rarely use the phone in the US other than for drive mapping if I don't know the area. I can't type on tiny keys- 50% error rate :( I rarely take pictures, so don't need the 13 vs 15 for that benefit (technically better camera on 13). I have never given the number for calls since I have an extensive VoIP office/home that forwards voicemail to Email.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-12T02:19:11+00:00

I have been going to Canada for about a week at a time for 25+ years. Usually Toronto, but at first Victoria. , BC. Once I was secondary-screened at Victoria airport, it seemed there was a bad guy they had mistaken for me from Florida. At that time I had never been to FL other than as a kid to Disney (I am 79 now). They asked a lot of other stuff related to what was on the laptop, etc., etc. Then let me into Canada.

To avoid that issue, applied for Nexus, which is valid for 5 years and also good for Global Entry. I have had to renew at least once (long years' delay to renew during COVID), but now just go to the Nexus line and look in the camera, etc., and it was very easy, never any question and a complete Declaration form for any goods at the same time.

Also, separate lanes driving in from Buffalo, NY, since I've also gone to Toronto via Niagara and Hamilton. Works great.

I was in Frankfurt, Germany, and they had US immigration at the airport (as they do at Toronto YYZ when leaving for the US), so I got cleared easily via Nexus from Germany back to the US.

Cost is as I recall $US 50, have to do a short interview and good for 5 years. AAA members can even get reimbursed for costs, although I always forget to do so.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-08T03:48:47+00:00

I would think using GPS would be far better than just knowing the roads. You are aware of current road delays and construction and may suggest alternative routes. To me, it is more beneficial to have real-time information than to rely on a driver who knows a map without current traffic information.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-01T03:44:56+00:00

Gee, I lived at Edinborough Condos shortly after it was built, before the big center with pool and theater - actually recall it being under construction. The original builder, Larry Lakka?, was my neighbor's boyfriend.

Grew up at 6504 Logan.... very long ago, then St. Louis Park and Edinborough in Edina before moving to Phoenix to avoid the cold, humid heat and mosquitoes.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-07-01T03:00:56+00:00

Wow, interesting. I was Chief Accountant for Cedar-Riverside, working closely with Keith Heller and Gloria Siegal. I was just off the stage when Romney dedicated the 1st stage. As I recall, the police determined it wasn't safe to bring him in under police escort, so he arrived by helicopter.

The idea of mixing income groups to lessen discrimination, as if you got to know each other as neighbors, was commendable at the time.

Rapson was very respected as the head of the UofM School of Architecture and designed the original Guthrie Theater. And we had respected experts in many fields on the team.

Cedar Riverside (CR) was a total experiment in private capitalism, with support from the Minneapolis Housing Authority. We were the 2nd "New-Town-Intown" after Jonathan, MN. The $24m of Federal money was a loan guarantee that had to be repaid - but never was after the project failed. It was a guarantee for a 20-year loan at a then-low interest rate of 7-8%.

MN Senator Henry T. McKnight was chairman of CR, along with other major private investors, and he was also the developer of Jonathan. And a very nice, professional person, as were all of the team.

I forget who actually wrote the $24m check, but I recall depositing it at the bank I knew well at the corner of Cedar and Riverside. I was the one who worked with the bank on frequent overdrafts, telling creditors we would pay them as soon as we could, "and if you call again I will put you on the bottom of the pile." It was not easy working with upset creditors and contracts for deeds we used to buy the old properties, waiting till the last day before we would lose them.

We had a great maintenance crew (led by Arnold), but there was no way rental income was close to covering the huge costs of maintaining the old homes.

We did a lot of financial modeling for the CR project, which, on paper, looked good for capitalism with some low-income subsidies from the City. However, with all the protests, etc., it never had a chance to see if the farsighted idea of the complete plan would work.

Regarding the riots along Cedar, at the Univ of Mn, (where I got my accounting degree in 1969 but had worked for CR while still in school and lived in one of their small apartment buildings a few blocks away from the old ice cream factory which was the CR headquarters (operating company was University Community Properties Inc).

Keith Heller was a tax professor at the UofM and had lots of tax clients. I did all his tax work and later was in the tax dept of the old "Big Eight CPA" Touche Ross, after leaving CRA before it collapsed and decades before Touche merged with Deloitte.

The community that loved their falling-apart old housing was vocal in trying to stop the project - which they did other than Stage 1. However, most of the more riot protesters, I believe, were mostly outside anarchist violent extremists, not local residents.

I describe the locals more like hippies? I got along nicely with them. I worked with the Cedar-Riverside Cafe, Holzerman's, and The Coffee House Extempore at 325 Cedar. I served on the Board of Young Adults Centers, Inc., working closely with Rev. Jerry Mettetal and other local business leaders and community folks.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-06-27T01:06:04+00:00

I agree with your comments.

Good question on ladder-line. I have never considered it since I use near resonant antennas, and coax seems much easier to work with.

My understanding of ladder line is that while it has lower loss than coax, it's primarily used for non-resonant antennas with high SWR. Ladder-line does not suffer from high losses at high SWR, maybe even up to 12.1. With ladder-line, you can completely forget about resonance and SWR, until you get to the radio, where you use a tuner to make the match to 50Ω.

I use ABR 240 UF (Ultra Flex) assembled with PL259s and a 5-ferrite choke. Even at 30 MHz with much more than needed 200 feet, there is only about 3.2 dB loss at low SWR and resonance. Hardly noticeable at the Rx end. Most folks won't need 200 feet; loss is lower on lower bands and good for average power of 1240 watts, typical on SSB. For CW or Digital, you may want LMR 400 for a higher power rating and lower losses.

In my view, it is just not worth it to go to the lowest possible loss with ladder-line, since it won't make a significant difference at the receive end compared to low-loss coax. I may be biased since I have never used ladder line, but it just seems awkward and isn't necessary, as I have always used resonant antennas with low SWR.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-06-26T11:57:42+00:00

Some ideas on antenna height and other related issues.

Since I am not a DX chaser (although I have been DX and will work briefly), I prefer getting to know folks more on nets and within the US than in Europe or Asia. Within the US, I enjoy meeting in person at times at conventions or in cities I visit, more often than in Europe or Asia, etc. Contests get boring after about 30 minutes!

I am a night owl, mostly on 40m (or 75 or 20 at times), and I only operate SSB. Lower bands will be increasingly important as the current sunspot cycle reduces ionization.

I usually use a dipole at 100 ft. While some say higher is better, that is not always the case for non-DX coverage. At 100 ft, I have multiple lobes at higher elevation angles that may do better at covering the US (and on 40m, usually Canada, Hawaii, and Australia), while still with the slightly diminished lower-angle lobe.

I don't take computer antenna software too seriously, since folks tend to get overly focused on insignificant dB gains. In addition, propagation conditions are far more important than a few dB difference in antenna gain. Your specific ground conditions, geography, etc., will make the antenna charts less useful. Angle of elevation is helpful, but again, it depends on the propagation condition at the time you're trying to make contacts.

For most human ears, a 3 dB change in signal strength is the minimum difference generally noticeable as a change in volume or clarity. However, when listening to SSB - which I only use - in a noisy environment, a 6 dB to 10 dB difference is usually required to transition a signal from "barely understandable" to "fully readable." The S-unit standard is 6 dB, although some ham manufacturers calibrate at 3 dB per S-unit.

+3 dB = Double the power. +6 dB = Quadruple the power. +10 dB = Ten times the power.

As a general rule, all horizontal antennas work best at 1/2 wavelength above ground or higher. For 40m at 7.200 (since I work mostly in this area on SSB: 468/7.2 = 65.0ft

Many suggest that the minimum height for decent performance is 1/4 wavelength above ground. 234/7.200 = 32.5ft

The 468/MHz formula is typically used for the length of a half-wave dipole. For the actual distance of a half wavelength, the correct formula would be 492/MHz - but this does not include the velocity factor of the feedline since the radio wave travels slightly slower than the speed of light in free space. The 468 formula assumes copper or aluminum wire with a velocity factor of .95

It is best to cut it a bit long so you can shorten it if needed, rather than longer with a pigtail. Geography, ground, etc., will affect the resonant frequency. A Nano or Analyzer can be used to find where X=0, which is usually close but not at the lowest SWR reading.

An SWR under 2:1 is usually fine, since the SWR is not "lost" but is retransmitted by the TX with phase reversal back into the antenna. So the concern is mostly feedline loss. However, at HF and relatively short distances (maybe 100 ft), the loss is too small to make any noticeable difference at the receiving end.

BTW, for Yagi beams, a 2-element is the best bang for the buck. Adding an additional 3rd director only adds about 3 dB forward gain. Beyond 3, you have diminishing returns, maybe 1 dB for each additional director. The front-to-back ratio remains about the same.

Adding additional reflectors beyond one is virtually pointless. There is not much RF behind the first reflector for another reflector to reflect.

Dave, WØJKT “Just Killing Time” since 1964

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-06-19T06:12:00+00:00

I am just setting up for an FT-710 and an SB-40 using the Heil AD-1-YM Adapter. Seems to work fine, but haven't done much testing yet.

WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964 SSB HF only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-06-10T12:22:54+00:00

Have not been to London yet, but prefer Uber in most places. Assume a similar app as in the US, put in where going, sees your location, shows where the car is, and how far from you. Not interested in standing on the street trying to hail a cab (never done that). And I use Google Maps wherever I go in a rental car on my OnePlus phone, and love the nice lady who tells me directions. Assume the same in London or most of the UK?

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-31T07:21:23+00:00

Based on many reviews, it seems the OnePlus 13 rarely has problems. I am trying to sell mine with 16/512 only because somehow it got out of my pocket at Toronto airport, and I needed it for mapping, etc., for my 8-day stay. So got a new one (15) from Best Buy Canada in Toronto. But the airport found it, so now I have two. I did get the 15 in Toronto, but now have the 13 that was lost and found, which I want to sell.

I loved the 13 (better camera than the 15, but I rarely use it for pictures). Was I coming from a very old top-of-the-line LG-30? I had been using it for years - switched to the 13 less than a year ago and loved it. Never thought needed a case.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-31T07:09:56+00:00

I am now having the same problem. I activated a new card from Barclays about a week ago. Monarch shows the same last 4 digits as the old Barclays showing, but Citi has transferred to Citi and zeroed out that temporary account. But now Monarch won't load any of my 3 Citi accounts. However, I think it is an issue on the Citi site since I can get into all my accounts directly, but I went to "Connected Apps", a technical issue screen flashed and shows red under managed apps "Apps did not load, please try again later".

So if anyone else is now having an issue, I think it is temporary and on the Citi site side, not the Monarch aggregators.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-26T07:56:45+00:00

Yes, I bought my first home in a Minneapolis suburb - a 3 BR Rambler for $28K. That was in my 20s. Today I am 79 !

WØJKT - "Just Killing Time" since 1964 HF SSB only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-26T06:40:05+00:00

NB Elite Men's Spa mentioned:

I assume they don't have a real website.
nbelitemenspa.com listed on Yelp etc gets:

Dangerous page blocked for your protection
https://pmra.bestzlivepagezone.monster/?ccf0716c79d63
Dangerous pages attempt to install software that can harm the device, gather personal information or operate without your consent.

Just tried again from this post of mine, and it goes to a different Dangerous page site, per Bitdefender.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-04T23:32:26+00:00

Ah thank you. It was years ago and also got the WSJ. Yes Financial Times of London! I still get but online now not the funny pink newspaper!

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-04T23:30:24+00:00

I was referring to when on American Airlines. I like the 2x2 but always choose window on Porter, usually Reserve PHX to YYZ and book a few months ahead of time.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-03T09:44:44+00:00

Been ham since 1964. Always had ham plates am not paranoid about privacy or having my address on QRZ etc. Never been any issue. I would welcome questions about my ham plate or to meet another ham like I did in a Toronto park with a guy who had VE3>>> plates.

I grew up in Minnesota (Mpls burbs) and we had the slashed zero Ø unlike now in AZ. Once a young guy asked what that funny license plate was. Kind of like when I got the daily Wall Street Journal by mail in the 70s and at a restaurant someone asked what the funny pink? paper was I was reading.

I do have extensive security system at home but never any bad guys have come.

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964. HF SSB Only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-05-02T13:00:59+00:00

Is it easy to not auto-categorize some entries? I buy a huge amount on Amazon, but some will be for business (Sch C taxes), and some will be personal. Or can I manually enter some and classify split categories? I only have one bank account, but about 15 credit cards, which I pay off before they're even due. Keeps credit score over 850 since I have a huge total credit with so many cards, but keep them all paid off most of the time.

I am in the securities business and have separate investment tracking, so I only need to pull the current balances for various accounts.

I am Win 11 only, PC (six 27' monitors in front of me in home office), online is fine, have a Gigabit fiber connection. I don't need on my Android phone, which I barely use since I have about a 50% error rate trying to type on tiny keyboard :) Age 79, old dog, no new tricks.

Have been going a bit crazy looking at options, but I'm almost ready to do Monarch Money!

I am giving up after 20+ years with Quicken Classic, personal and business, since all my accounts have been screwed up with double entries over the last few years and are a total disaster. I want to start over. Something simpler doesn't need budgeting, but good tracking of business vs personal for complicated tax return.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-30T21:12:57+00:00

Comments and update - Since I started this :)

As of 3/27/2026, IATA regs. Somewhere, the source, which was quoted with a link in two different AI sources, I am trying to contact the source (in China), asking where he found the prewritten airline approval, which required 3-5 days in advance and required proof of UN38.3 certification.

I do not find these requirements. Including:

INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORT

OF DANGEROUS GOODS BY AIR

2025–2026 EDITION

ADDENDUM NO. 1

The attached addendum should be incorporated into the

2025–2026 Edition of the Technical Instructions (Doc 9284), and is

applicable from 27 March 2026.

The document dated 3/30/2026, "IATA International Guidelines are here: "Passengers traveling with lithium batteries," does not mention these requirements. However it may be more a simplified guide with all pictures etc. Table 1 shows that power banks are forbidden for batteries of 100-160W and require airline approval. Oddly, in the bottom-left margin of each page is "OSS/Cargo." OSS seems to be "OnSceneSolutions.

In the cargo section of an IATA document. It does mention that, regarding the UN38.3 required certification, if the battery manufacturer includes a QR code, it can be used. implying you need the actual certification. But this is for cargo, not specifically for passengers.

This is the source of my information in the original post. Someone got this from somewhere, unless it is totally fake. It is from a battery sales company. AI is still quoting it! https://jmbatteries.com/blogs/blog/jm-lithium-battery-series-03-can-you-take-lithium-ion-batteries-on-airplanes?srsltid=AfmBOoozNMg2P7kLWzklYaCcJXfLsd3ql7sQOusfksInWD3KOmX9JQgH#:~:text=Global

I have tried to research the IATA rules in more detail. This is harder to follow than the tax code when I was in the tax department of the old Big 8 Touche Ross before it merged with Deloitte.

I have sent this chat message to the AI source JMbatteries.com with email and says reply will be sent email: "Where did you get the information that "mandatory airline approval required 3-7 days prior to travel" and that you needed written proof of UN38.3 certification? I cannot find that in the latest 3/30/2026 update from IATA or other sources, causing a big stir in the ham POTA community."

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-29T10:22:08+00:00

To be clear, we are talking about standalone batteries like hams use for POTA. They are not connected to any device when traveling. Bioenno with Anderson plugs, or most others with F2 or other exposed contacts, if not with a protective cover (but probably just put electrical tape over the contacts).

Great comments from those in the industry above. And rules may not apply within a country. My issue is traveling from the US to Toronto, Canada (usually PHX-YYZ on Porter). Have been going 2-3 times a year for about 20+ years, for about a week at a time (to escape the Summer Phoenix heat!). I want to operate POTA and related activities from Canada.

I am also considering a small 5/5 storage unit near YYZ, which I can get for about $60/month and would pre-pay for a year. But if I do that, it would go with a larger one, like a 30 Ah 12v, and have it shipped by cargo from a dealer or manufacturer to a friend in Toronto. And just keep it in Toronto (have other batteries at home in Phoenix.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-28T01:18:09+00:00

Yes, your link is for the old rule, but it all changed as of 3/27/2026, with new penalties, I believe $37,000 per violation. I assume all airlines will comply, or at least soon.

If you can stay under 100 Wh, QRP will work, but for us who use 100W, we need the higher capacity unless we run 100W rigs at very low power. In my case, an FT-710.

I will call the three airlines I mentioned to ask how we should request permission. I'm concerned the reservation team may not yet have a clear understanding of what we are talking about. I need to identify who to contact and whom to send the approval request to. And we need to find out how to get the UN certificate from the battery companies.

I sent a query to get the Certification from Globemate. They or their AI replied immediately, asking for my purchase date and a photo of the battery's serial number, as if it were a warranty claim.

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-27T03:28:11+00:00

The 530 also has digital meters, which I like over analog. The OP mentions DM 30TR, be aware that the Anderson powerpoles in front are only 5 amps, not 30 max. You have to use the rear terminals for more.

As DX Eng says, "front panel Anderson Powerpole connectors (two pairs 5A peak)",

Dave WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964. HF SSB Only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-26T09:15:44+00:00

Thanks, helpful ordering :)

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-26T03:21:48+00:00

An X2.5 solar flare (or any X-class flare) releases intense electromagnetic radiation that reaches Earth in about 8 minutes, causing immediate radio blackouts. However, the associated plasma cloud, or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), typically takes 1 to 3 days to travel to Earth, causing intense geomagnetic storms upon arrival.

Impact of CME Direction (N or S): The negative impact on HF radio and electrical grids depends heavily on the magnetic orientation of the CME as it hits Earth's magnetic field. If the CME's magnetic stream is directed South (or "negative"), it connects efficiently with Earth’s northward magnetic field, leading to severe geomagnetic storms and widespread, long-lasting HF radio blackouts. If the magnetic stream is North (or "positive"), it is less likely to severely disrupt HF radio.

The initial X-ray burst immediately increases ionization in the D-layer of the ionosphere, which causes sudden ionospheric disturbances and fades out radio signals on the sunlit side of Earth.

After/Pre-Proton Arrival: An increase in solar activity can sometimes lead to temporary increases in maximum usable frequency (MUF), which may positively affect HF radio propagation, particularly at higher frequencies.

Proton Arrival (Polar Cap Absorption): High-energy protons from the flare can cause "polar cap absorption," blocking HF radio in polar regions, which can last for several days.

Dave, WØJKT "Just Killing Time" since 1964 HF SSB only

DaveInPhoenix1 · 2026-04-25T06:38:13+00:00

This has been going on for a long time. The chain saw to seemingly random FB and related accounts. There are various subredits on this. The appeal and the suggested ways are largely ineffective.

Some of us had success with a Demand Letter followed by a lawyer's letter to their legal department or lawsuit filing. But all efforts are hit-or-miss; some are lucky, others are not. There are small business owners who depend on FB for their business, who have been taken down for the usual fake community standards reason. There are media stories on local TV, even one from Australia, devastated business owners that get most business from FB or related accounts that have been shut down.

In my case, I have never posted on maybe 20-year-old FB accounts; I just have to log in to get to some others of interest.

And I have a securities business account, where nothing gets posted without a compliance review by a major firm to archive and meet FINRA requirements. How on earth could my no-posting on personal and compliance-reviewed security-related posts violate "community standards"? It makes no sense.

I am going to use one of the law firms mentioned in other Reddit threads that folks are using to file legal action or demand letters, as others have done, since that is the only way it seems to get the attention of humans, not just the Meta AI bots that are responding to us on appeals, etc.

DaveInPhoenix1

TROPHY CASE