#010 | Radio Technique | AIM 4-2-2
Thank You Very Much For Listening…
We handed the reins over to Lee Griffing for this episode and simultaneously tried a new format. Did you like that we skipped over actually reading the AIM section, opting instead to only talk about the general idea or do you prefer that we read the reg and insert our commentary/explanations/story’s inbetween? We are playing around with the early episodes here and would appreciate your thoughts, so don’t hesitate to email. One of our many goals with the show is to get to the point where we can’t keep up with the email’s from you guys and gals, so take advantage this year (2020) when we still have plenty of available time!… Seriously, I’m paying 30 euro’s a month for an email server in Switzerland and between the three of us we have received a sum of zero email’s despite a surprisingly high number of listeners by our tenth episode. Haha
AIM 4-2-2 as of recording
a. Listen before you transmit. Many times you can get the information you want through ATIS or by monitoring the frequency. Except for a few situations where some frequency overlap occurs, if you hear someone else talking, the keying of your transmitter will be futile and you will probably jam their receivers causing them to repeat their call. If you have just changed frequencies, pause, listen, and make sure the frequency is clear.
b. Think before keying your transmitter. Know what you want to say and if it is lengthy; e.g., a flight plan or IFR position report, jot it down.
c. The microphone should be very close to your lips and after pressing the mike button, a slight pause may be necessary to be sure the first word is transmitted. Speak in a normal, conversational tone.
d. When you release the button, wait a few seconds before calling again. The controller or FSS specialist may be jotting down your number, looking for your flight plan, transmitting on a different frequency, or selecting the transmitter for your frequency.
e. Be alert to the sounds or lack of sounds in your receiver. Check your volume, recheck your frequency, and make sure that your microphone is not stuck in the transmit position. Frequency blockage can, and has, occurred for extended periods of time due to unintentional transmitter operation. This type of interference is commonly referred to as a “stuck mike,” and controllers may refer to it in this manner when attempting to assign an alternate frequency. If the assigned frequency is completely blocked by this type of interference, use the procedures described for en route IFR radio frequency outage to establish or reestablish communications with ATC.
f. Be sure that you are within the performance the performance range of your radio equipment and the ground station equipment. Remote radio sites do not always transmit and receive on all of a facility’s available frequencies, particularly with regard to VOR sites where you can hear but not reach a ground station’s receiver. Remember that higher altitudes increase the range of VHF “line of sight” communications.