Bronze Theory Radio Telephony January 2009

Licences You must hold licence for the radio installed in your glider. You must hold a licence for an air-band transceiver. You must hold a licence yourself if you intend to use any other frequency other than the gliding frequencies (e.g. air traffic control units) Licence is obtained from CAA Radio Licensing section (for aircraft) Or Air Traffic Services Standards Department (for Hand –Held)

What to Say Your position Information regarding weather conditions Imminent unscheduled landing Warnings of collision risks Training instructions Cloud flying warnings Changes to another frequency.

How to say it We use call signs usually the aircraft registration or competition No. Sites use the call-sign ‘Base’, cars use ‘Mobile’. First give call-sign of station you are calling. Followed by your own call-sign Subsequent messages to that station don’t require you to call them up first. When replying to the first call you could reply with your status to save time, or simply “call-sign pass your message”.

Terminology Affirm Acknowledge Break Cancel Changing to Cleared Confirm Contact Correction Disregard Request Roger Say Again Speak Slower Standby Transmitting Blind Tyro Unable Verify Wilco Expedite Go Around How do you read I say again Monitor Negative Orbit Pass you message Radio Check Read Back

Gliding Frequencies 130.4Cloud flying and cross-country 130.1Competition start/finish. Local flying. (Secondary use lead and follow) Lead & follow training, cross country location msgs. (Secondary uses comp start/finish & local flying) Used by approved BGA sites within a range of 10nm Ground to ground only and is shared by other users Emergency frequency

Mayday First call Mayday on whatever frequency you are on. or use 121.5Mhz South of 55’ N call London Centre. North call Scottish Centre. Do not leave 121.5Mhz without permission once you have used it. If you hear a Mayday call on your frequency keep quiet, record emergency then “Mayday Relay” on Pan-pan, Pan-pan, Pan-pan. For non life threatening emergencies.

Mayday Sequence “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” Station you are talking to Your registration Nature of problem Your Intention Position Height Heading Other useful info e.g. number of people on board.

Training Fix Select 121.5, listen to be sure channel is clear “Practice PAN Practice PAN Practice PAN,Glider “FPM” requires training fix” Wait for reply relative to a major landmark Respond with accuracy of fix. Reply frequency you are changing to.

Phonetic Alphabet Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whisky X – ray Yankee Zulu Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo

Saying Numbers Zeeroh (never as ‘o’) Wun Two Tree (not three) Fow-er Fife Six Seven Ait Nine-er feet is said as “Wun Wun Tousand” 5500 feet would be said as “ Fife Tousand fife hundred” Glider number 150 however is said as “Wun fife zeeroh” Frequency is said as “Wun Tree Zeeroh Dayseemal Fower”

Useful Bits If a controller gives you instructions e.g. a clearance you must repeat exactly what they say. If a station has a call-sign with either ‘Information’ or ‘Radio’ they are not a controller and will not give instructions just information. Do not start talking until you have the button pressed or until you know what your going to say. If the radio goes very quiet… check you don’t have the transmit button pressed or the squelch turned down too much. Radio Waves travel in straight lines, so be aware ground features will affect your ability to transmit.

More Useful Bits Class D Airspace requires clearance before entering. If you find yourself in it, call Air Traffic Control and explain your intentions. Class B Airspace contact controller as climbing through fl200 listen to correct frequency for routine calls, call when leaving at fl 245 (no longer current but this is typical of a local agreement that may exist)