Originally Posted by
CaptainMidnight
So common sense applies.
Anyone departing from a strip unlikely to be known would broadcast something like:
ALL STATIONS, ABC C172 taxying at a private strip 22 miles east of Ballarat, departing to the North below 5000.
It's not rocket science ...
No it's not, but at 22 miles (your example), it's just pointless. You're looking at a 45 degree (possibly more) are from Ballarat to the strip, then another 45 degree wedge out of there heading north for the possible intercept location. In 10 minutes you're looking at a block of sky about 7.5 miles by 7.5 miles that this C172 might be in. It could be worse, he might have been heading west, in which case that becomes a block almost 15 miles by 7.5 miles.
You're far more likely to see one of the 50 or so gliders in that general area who didn't make a call at all. Even if you do sight a C172, how do you know it was the one who made the call? The most dangerous situation VFR (in the circuit) is believing you have seen everyone based on radio calls received and then not bothering to look for anyone else.