Use of radio

Introduction

1. Early radios were very unreliable and sometimes difficult to hear. Standard phraseology came about to reduce the length of transmissions and make messages easier to understand.
   
2. There is a very real risk that radio might be used as a part of a terrorist attack for instance. Anyone with an aviation transceiver could send bogus messages, and disrupt air traffic into busy airports. Licensing is part of a safety control mechanism.
   
3. The civil aviation authority (CAA) controls all UK aviation radio operations. The aims are, 1) to ensure the sets themselves (referred to as stations), operate correctly without interfering with other transmitters and 2) the users are trained to follow strict procedures. Glider pilots are exempted from holding formal licences provided they stick to the limited range of frequencies allocated to them. At Talgarth you have been using 130.1 MHz routinely. All sets must have a radio communications licence (issued by the CAA.)
   
4. Some of the Bronze C syllabus covers subjects that cannot be practised without an operators licence, but is still required knowledge.
   
5. British Glider Pilots are amongst the worst in the world for radio skills. At the end of this introduction you will begin to recognise some of the failings that routinely happen. Good operating skills are obvious to those "in the know", many pilots operate in ignorance without realising they are making fools of themselves.
   

Radio transmission techniques

1. Think before you transmit.---being prepared reduces the umms and errs.
   
2. Listen to ensure you are not interrupting anyone else.---Their message may be critically important.
   
3. Remember, when you press the push to talk button no one else can get through. (stuck mike is not unusual, so if it seems to have gone quiet on the radio, make sure you are not sitting on the microphone switch).
   
4. When talking maintain a constant distance from your mouth to the microphone.
   
5. Enunciate each word clearly and distinctly using a normal conversational tone.
   
6. Keep your speech rate constant, a maximum of 100 words per minute.
   
7. Avoid using hesitation sounds such as er.
   
8. Keep the operation of the transmit button to a minimum. Depress the button fully before speaking and do not release it until the message is complete.
   
9. make sure the button is released after transmission and that it cannot be inadvertently switched on after stowage
   
10. VHF radio transmissions are line of sight---the higher you are the further it is possible to transmit and receive. (at altitude it is important to make your location clear----"Tango four nine , five thousand feet descending over the airfield" will be heard at the other end of the country!!!
    
11. Keep transmissions brief and to the point.
    

Radio around the airfield

1. Ground stations can never give instructions to an aircraft unless they are air traffic controllers operating in a controlled environment.----"Talgarth base, Tango Four nine, request circuit instructions"-------"Tango Four nine , gliders seem to be flying right hand circuits landing South-west"-----(in other words—its up to you to decide, but this is what everyone else seems to be doing)
   
2. Transmissions are often blind, a reply is not necessarily expected—"Talgarth, Tango one zero, downwind, landing east."
   
3. Transmissions always start with the station being called, followed by your call sign---"you, this is me"
   
4. If you expect a reply don't pass your question in on garbled outburst.-------"Tango one zero, Tango four nine"----(wait)---"Tango four nine pass your message"-----"Tango one zero, what are your intentions?"----"Tango one zero, intend commence right hand circuit"
   
5. A general safety announcement might sound like this------------"Talgarth Gliders be advised a heavy rain shower is approaching the airfield"
   

Readability scale

Gliding Frequencies

Call Signs

• Gliders registration letters or competition number--------("Tango one zero"---"nine eight nine")
  
• Cars…include designation "mobile"---------------("nine eight nine mobile")
  
• Sites…include the designation "base"---------------("Talgarth base")
  

Distress and diversion

Airspace and Radio

Emergencies

1. Distress---A condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and requiring immediate assistance.
   
2. Urgency---A condition concerning the safety of an aircraft or other vehicle, or of some person on board or within sight, but not requiring immediate assistance.
   

1. MAYDAY/MAYDAY/MAYDAY or PAN/PAN/PAN.
   
2. Name of station addressed
   
3. Your call sign
   
4. Type of aircraft
   
5. Nature of emergency
   
6. Intention of person in command
   
7. Present or last known position, height and heading.
   
8. Pilot qualifications.
   
9. Any other useful information.
   

Standard Words and Phrases

Volmet

1. Aerodrome identification
   
2. Surface wind
   
3. Visibility
   
4. RVR (Runway visual range)
   
5. Weather
   
6. Cloud
   
7. Temperature
   
8. Dew Point
   
9. QNH
   
10. Trend (if applicable)
    

Phonetic alphabet

Transmission of numbers

Q codes

February 2004