Questions tagged [radio-communications]
Radio is the primary way that pilots communicate with air traffic control and with other aircraft.
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Why don't airports use different radio frequencies/channels for each plane to prevent communications from interfering with each other?
There have been serious safety incidents where multiple airplanes using the same frequency caused simultaneous messages to garble each other. For example, at Pearson International Airport (2020-03-07),...
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Multiple COMM types on the same frequency?
In the manual for the Garmin GNC 255 on page 13, it is stated that:
When connected to a position source, the nearest station identifier will be
shown for the selected frequency. Frequencies with ...
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Is it acceptable to abbreviate “Foxtrot” to “Fox”?
My instrument instructor pointed out that I’ve been saying “Four Seven Fox” instead of “Four Seven Foxtrot”. I realize I’ve been doing this for years now, but this is the first I’ve ever been called ...
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How impactful could an ATC-specific speech-to-text AI model be for the aviation industry?
Various initiatives, such as the European SESAR 3 program, the Airbus Speech Recognition Challenge, or Appareo's technology, highlight a growing interest in tailored Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) ...
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Do ATC say "Climb to XXXX on standard" or "Climb to standard XXXX" or something else?
Do ATC say "Climb to XXXX on standard" or "Climb to standard XXXX" or something else?
By "standard" I'm referring to altimeter pressure settings (set to standard pressure)...
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How do these lines sound as ATC communications?
These are translated lines from a fictional story in Chinese, written by someone who (like me) does not work in aviation and therefore does not have firsthand knowledge of these things. Therefore, it ...
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Why are we still using audio to communicate between ATC and Pilot?
Amidst the recent Japan Airlines 516 crash at Haneda and multiple others in history like the famous KLM/PanAm at Tenerife, it has always bothered me that these accidents were so easily preventable ...
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Origins and Efficiency of the Phonetic Alphabet in Aviation
I’m curious about the history and practicality of the phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc.) used in aviation communication. While I recognise its universal application in ...
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Why and how can TCAS and SSR transponder work at the received frequency of each other?
The TCAS sends interrogation pulses at 1030 MHz and receives replies at 1090 MHz. And the transponder replies interrogations at 1030 MHz receiving at 1090 MHz. There could be interference between them,...
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How might ATC phrase an instruction to a pilot to maintain a certain speed and establish glide path?
What might an ATC say to instruct a pilot to maintain a certain speed and establish glide path?
My attempts (as someone who does not know much at all about how a plane is piloted) are:
"Maintain ...
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How might an ATC ask a pilot to check the weather conditions at a certain location?
(Working on a translation that involves radio communications dialogue.)
Say the location is X nautical miles from the aircraft to a direction that's between the Y o'clock and Z o'clock direction, what ...
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What might an air traffic controller say to approve a request from a pilot for a certain heading?
I'm translating something that involves radio communications dialogue.
Two questions, actually:
How would a pilot request a particular heading? (Does this ever happen?) E.g. something like "...
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Radiotelephony Practices of American Pilots in Comparison to ICAO Standards
As a commercial pilot with experience in various airspaces, including frequent interactions with American pilots, I've noticed a distinct difference in their radiotelephony etiquette compared to the ...
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Do civilian aircraft transiting through controlled airspace designated for military airports typically talk to the tower of that airport? (USA)
The general point of this question is to understand how civilian aircraft operate around controlled airspace designated for military airports, in terms of communications, in the US. I think the best ...
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What is the meaning of (HR) (LY) (FOR) in radio phraseology?
Need help!
Can’f figure out what’s the meaning of (HR) (LY) (FOR) beside some words from this document: Source.
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Mandatory Reports to ATC on an Approach
An instructor recently told me a required radio call to ATC is to tell them when you are established on course on final approach. His point was that this tells ATC when to switch you to tower. While I ...
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Can I share ACARS messages online?
ACARS messages are transmitted via radio just like normal ATC communications are. In the UK, for example, it is illegal to listen to and broadcast ATC chatter. Does the same apply to ACARS? If an ...
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How does the emergency frequency work?
When I'm flying from my airfield, I usually am out of range of the airfield's radio within 50 miles or so, at low altitudes. How does the emergency frequency (121.50) work? Where is the location of ...
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Radiotelephony certificates in Germany: to get AZF do i need BZF first?
I've been asked by LBA (German Civil Aviation Authority) to acquire the general radio telephony certificate (AZF) in order to convert my FAA ATP to a German EASA ATPL.
Can I get the AZF immediately or ...
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Did pilots use the radio in the Spanish Civil War?
Was radio communication used by fighter pilots during the Spanish Civil War?
Fiat CR32, Messerschmitt Me 109 and Polikarpov I-16 were typical aircraft but I have no information about radio ...
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Bordering towered airspaces
I'm looking for guidance on radio communications when taking off from Delta airspace and flying into Charlie that starts where the Delta ends. My aircraft can only monitor one frequency at a time. Can ...
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Can ATC tell someone to leave the airspace because they called them by the wrong name?
I will preface this question by saying that the story in question is anecdotal, told by an instructor at an airfield I was visiting. I will obfuscate the callsigns and airfield in question.
Apparently,...
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How can pilots get other pilots' attention without the use of radio
In this video, a pilot makes the embarrassing mistake of announcing the passengers on an active frequency. During the video, other pilots are apparently trying to get his attention by sending some ...
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How does an ARTCC achieve radio coverage of its entire region?
I live close to the edge of the ARTCC region covering my area. There is no way I could talk on VHF to the control center at normal GA altitudes; it might be possible from airliner or bizjet cruise ...
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Can You Transmit with Airband Transceiver
I am considering the purchase of two Dittel FSG-5 Airband (118-137 Mhz) transceivers. If I transmit from one radio to the other, and vice versa, am I breaking any rules or potentially causing an issue ...
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Is it possible to use Morse code for communication?
Let's say your radio fails, but luckily you brought your keychain Morse code transmitter as a backup! Is there any way to use it?
ICAO defines Q-codes for aviation use. Q-codes were initially ...
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When is the word "Over" required in radio transmissions?
From the AIM 4-2-3:
The terms initial contact or initial callup means the first radio call you make to a given facility or the first call to a different controller or FSS specialist within a facility....
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Are tower controllers trained on not overloading pilots with complex taxi instructions while landing?
The above question comes from the following observations:
I've noticed over the years of flying (small GA aircraft) that some towers are talking more and more to me while landing. It used to be ...
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What is the meaning of “next frequency” in PDC？
When we get pdc we see next frequency,For example 121.4
Sometimes it is the frequency of clearance,but sometimes is the frequency of departure.
WHY?Which frequency should it be?
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PTT mutes mic w/ A20, Delta Zulu, works with older headsets
New airplane to me. Coms work great using an older headset, David Clark or other brand. When using my Delta Zulu or Bose A20 the intercoms works fine until you press the PTT. When pressed the radio ...
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Why from the SELCAL pool letters "I", " N", "O" are omitted?
Why from the SELCAL code pool, the letters "I", " N", "O" are omitted?
Thanks in advance.
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What is meant by "Fox Two"?
Numerous Movies, Video Games, and TV shows featuring fighter pilots depict the pilots calling out "Fox Two" on the radio as they fire a missile.
The transmission (as depicted, I'm not sure ...
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Can a private pilot flying a passenger to a hospital use a MEDEVAC callsign?
Normal air ambulance flights in medical emergency situations use a callsign consisting of the word "MEDEVAC" followed by the registration number excluding the prefix (e.g. N912MF is "...
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Who do you talk to in Class G airspace (UK)?
I'm currently in my early days of learning about aviation, and have just started learning how to use a VFR chart. One thing that I have noticed is that the class D airspaces generally have frequencies ...
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In cases where it's legal, is it feasible to use a phone for a call in the normal way?
In a country that allows cell phone use on planes, or with VoIP using satellite Internet, how feasible is it to use a phone by the normal method of holding it to your face on a small GA plane such as ...
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(In English) is there a way/shorthand to refer to the minutes part of a plane's landing time? (I.e. omitting the hour)
For example, if a plane lands at 17:34, is it possible (in English) to only report the minutes (34) portion of the time? If so, how?
The reason/context for the question: I'm trying to translate ...
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Is it feasible to make 2 meter amateur radio contacts from a small GA plane?
Is it feasible to make 2 meter amateur radio contacts from a small GA plane (e.g. a Cessna 172)? If so, what equipment is required?
Most of the stations being contacted will be using vertically ...
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Are any Q-codes still used in aviation?
On amateur (ham) radio, we often use Q-codes, which are three-letter codes starting with the letter Q with various meanings. They were originally used to speed up Morse code communications; it might ...
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Can a radio on VOX detect a loud tone and interpret as a cut on transmission (coming from pilot/cockpit)?
Can a radio using VOX detect a short tone and interpret it as a signal for cutoff of audio signal/transmission? this is A/G radio communication using a Schmid radio
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Tracking ATC communication with a flight of interest
I am a complete newbie, but hopefully this question makes sense. I am interested in tracking communication between a flight and ATC. I've found www.liveatc.net, but I have difficulties understanding ...
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What is the bandwidth of a 1090ES ADS-B signal?
I cannot find an official, trustworthy source on the bandwidth of the 1090 Mode S extended squitter ADS-B signal. It is not even listed in DO-260C standard. I've seen ranges from 50 kHz to 11 MHz (...
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Communication between airplanes
Hypothetically, can 2 airplanes (or rather 2 pilots) agree on a frequency that they know it's not used by any airport or service in the area and use it to communicate between each other, for whatever ...
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Why is there a short tone in the ATC recording that cuts the pilot transmission using VOX?
I had an experience of listening to tower-to-pilot conversation and noticed that there was a short tone in the audio stream that suppresses the voice/audio signal and causes muting on the recording. I ...
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Can I use an aviation radio on the ground in an emergency?
Suppose I'm doing some plane spotting, and I see a dangerous situation that I think needs to be brought to the attention of a pilot or ATC (such as a tire falling off an airplane, an engine fire, etc.)...
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Could Apple Airtags interfere with aircraft communication and navigation systems?
German media reports that Lufthansa has banned Airtags in checked bags:
This is specifically because of the transmission function.
Lufthansa claims that the transmission function needs to be turned ...
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How common is QRM on air band radio?
How common is it for QRM to interfere with aviation radio, whether from multiple operators transmitting simultaneously, from an unlicensed transmitter, or from sources other than air band radios?
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Do pilots ever talk directly to each other over radio?
Do pilots ever talk directly to other pilots over air band radio, or only to air traffic control?
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How is expected approach time phrased in ATC communications?
For example, does an air traffic controller say the full phrase ("expected approach time XX minutes") or are there other conventions?
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When a parallel runway is closed at an uncontrolled field, does the notation change for the operating runway?
I’m currently a CFI/CFII/MEI at a flight school based out of Falcon Field (KFFZ.) Falcon has a pair of runways, 4/22 R/L. When the tower closes, runway 4L/22R is closed.
During a training event this ...
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“X” letter meaning next to VHF frequency in jeppessen plates
DOH airport implemented new VHF frequencies in their new SID/STAR/APP jeppessen charts.
What does the « X »letter means next to these frequencies
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