VHF Comm in India's Mumbai FIR

[Delehant]

I'm planning a flight through Bangalore northwest on N563 through the Mumbai FIR (VABF). Does anyone know if I'll have VHF comm on the entire route?

Thanks

[leftseatview]

If you are transitting thru Bangalore you will first have to work Chennai(was called Madras earlier) FIR(VOMM) they generally are on 118.9

On N563 the VOMM/VABB FIR boundry appears to be at KAKIB,but you will be well out of VHF range of CHENNAI Control well before that(usual usable VHF range is about 250 nm for most FIRs in INDIA if you are above FL 300)

If you are flying during daytime,Chennai will likely hand you over to MANGALORE (usually on 127.55) some time after you have overflown Bangalore.

As you approach KAKIB Mangalore will ask you to change over to Mumbai(they usually work 125.35 on this sector)

The thing to keep in mind is that at all these change over points you are likely to be beyond max VHF voice range.So just listen in on the assigned freq,you wil know you are on the correct freq because you will at first, be able to hear other traffic talking to these ATC units.DONT call the ATC unit till you can actually hear them talking back to other A/C.

Its quite a busy airspace and the freq keeps getting jammed by folks who keep calling from the actual FIR boundries.

They will have you on SSRadar from your previous squak code, and if they really need to tell you something,they will get another A/C in the vicinity to call you(So keep one VHF on 121.5)

If there is some Naval Air activiy going on near GOA, or you need to deviate due WX you might be asked to check in with DABOLIM naval air stn on 119.7

If you need to deviate due WX while still out of VHF range,you can get another A/C to relay your request,just keep it short and relevent (Call signXXX FL YYY on N563 westbound Squak ZZZZ requesting right/left deviation 10 miles due WX)If the ATC unit needs an estimate for a waypoint,he will ask for it.
Their are a lot of newbies and expats flying in India right now so if the A/C giving you the VHF relay sounds like he is likely to make a hash of it,request him to come on 123.4

I havnt flown on N563 so its possible you might have difficulty with Mumbai VHF due range,in which case you will have to get an A/C to do a more detailed relay,but dont give too many waypoint estimates,he basically wants your FIR entry/exit points and estimates, and at some point will ask you to change over to Mumbai HF(thats another story!)

Dont worry if your flt plan has been filed/cleared properly Muscat FIR will be expecting to hear from you around REXOD on 123.95(you need to confirm this freq as i havnt done this sector in about a year)He will probably give you a change of squak code at this point(keep the old one till then)

Hope that helps,dont mean to sound too patronizing,but we get a lot of frequency jamming and poor R/T in these parts nowadays.
Have a good trip

[rdr]

On some section of your flight, you may have to use hand signals or do a tribal dance to get your communication through.

[airborneforever]

or try smoke signals or flashing mirrors. :}