Using Radios effectively for situational awareness.

[rookiepilot]

This is a huge topic, I’ll just touch on a few things to improve situational awareness and reduce confusion and congestion on the radio, especially flying VFR in U/C airspace.

Many accidents and close calls have happened, due to a loss of situational awareness, and talking on the wrong frequencies.

A) Listen as much as possible before talking, and B) use second com at all times to monitor.

Let me sketch out a flight, from an U/C airport, to enroute U/C to terminal controlled, to a controlled airport, and back to the uncontrolled airport.

Radio 1-active (R1)
Radio 2 -monitor only. (R2)

(IMPORTANT — Can switch R 1 and R2 around to alternatively transmit as convenient, especially if both radios are effective in transmission )

1. Departure U/C field. Before TO, R1 on Unicom, R2 126.70, monitoring area traffic.

2. Clear of all circuit traffic, R1 126.70, R2 Terminal (if not immediately entering terminal airspace). Announce like this: “Traffic 126.70, Cessna CGABC, 2000 northbound off Burlington, ABC”

3. R1 call up Terminal, R2 monitor 126.70, at least until radar identified and destination communicated. Assuming traffic conflict services are provided, (and I prefer after a climb to cruising altitude is well underway) switch R2 to emergency, 121.50.

4. Approach. Leave R1 on Terminal or Centre, R2 to Atis. Switch R1 to tower or radio when advised, R2 flips back to center or terminal to maintain area situational awareness.

5. Long final or in the pattern, R1 Tower, R2 to ground.

6. Departure. R1 Ground, R2 tower, to know whats happening in advance and traffic in the area.

Then R1 Tower, R2 center, before takeoff. Switch to Center when advised, R2 back to tower until well clear of the zone, then R2 to 121.50.

7 Approach back to U/C airport. Terminal says: “Burlington is 15 miles south, Radar services terminated, cleared on route”

If that far away, R1 to 126.70, transmit intentions, R2 monitors terminal a few moments, then switch to monitor Unicom — listening for all the traffic in or approaching circuit, before transmitting.

A bit closer, R1 to unicom, transmit intentions, R2 monitors 126.70, until in the circuit. Then goes off, to remove distractions.

Hope this helps!

[AntiNakedMan]

You missed the most important thing: end all calls with “conflicting traffic, please advise” /s

Very similar to what I do, except I never monitor 121.5. I don’t have a good reason not to, just not something I have ever done.

[rookiepilot]

You missed the most important thing: end all calls with “conflicting traffic, please advise” /s

Very similar to what I do, except I never monitor 121.5. I don’t have a good reason not to, just not something I have ever done.

One reason I’ve done it historically. (and I don’t bother in southern Ontario) is there are areas— gaps in coverage — in Northern Ontario with neither radar or reliable coms with center, even at 9000 feet. Having 121.50 tuned, in an emergency I could quickly relay a position report to one of the commercial aircraft far overhead. So it became a habit.

I’ve done flights where it is silent for a long time even on 126.70.

[Fly0nTheWall]

Good info. With almost everyone using 406 ELTs now (soon everyone within the next few years), I don't really monitor 121.5 much anymore though. Usually I'd monitor on R2 whichever mf/atf frequency is in use for the part of the country I'm flying in. Gives me a bit better SA for where everyone is and where they're going. At least for flying in northern Canada anyways.

[lownslow]

I don't really monitor 121.5 much anymore though.

If you’re using any kind of enroute ATC service 121.5 is a good way to find you in the event of a wrong frequency or service outage or unnoticed Comm 1 failure. If flying over the continent that frequency practically guarantees you’ll be heard too.

[Fly0nTheWall]

I don't really monitor 121.5 much anymore though.

If you’re using any kind of enroute ATC service 121.5 is a good way to find you in the event of a wrong frequency or service outage or unnoticed Comm 1 failure. If flying over the continent that frequency practically guarantees you’ll be heard too.

Fair enough, that's a good point. Most of Northern Canada doesn't have enroute ATC Service though. I guess I mostly flew in northern Canada, so I probably should have included that as a qualifier.

[rookiepilot]

In the south, The other reason to monitor 126.70 while on unicom (and the reverse), sometimes people transit very close to an UC airport while not talking or listening on Unicom. Sometimes too close.

Its no surprise most midair’s are within 5 NM of a field. On a VFR day too lots of people do practice IFR approaches and so aren’t where others VFR might expect them to be. Collingwood is a good example of a crazy busy airport on weekends with lots of transiting traffic too.

[goingnowherefast]

Most under stated comment in this whole thread!

How is one to learn where other traffic is when all that happens is talking. Radios is 90% listening.

The number of times I encounter someone who makes a 126.7 broadcast, then immediately switch to another frequency. I'm busy trying to sort out the conflict with them, but they're gone!

A) Listen as much as possible before talking

[thepoops]

Does anyone fail the radio license test? How hard is it?