Buckshot
Why are they so useful?
The frequency boundaries are there for ATC workload and management purposes. Quite often they don’t reflect the range of the ground station at low levels.
What problem do you have with monitoring the nearest outlet? Would the sky crash in? Would people die?
Did you fly during the 3 months without frequency boundaries? Wasn’t it safer to be monitoring the CTAF when in approach and departure airspace ? I bet it was!
For over 20 years I have been monitoring the ATC frequencies on my 130nm flights from Terrey Hills to Gundaroo and back. In that time I have never answered another aircraft or received useful traffic info from the ATC frequency. Yes. I have been close to other aircraft in the training area but they have never given position reports. These days I here lots of ATC communication from aircraft in the Latrobe Valley and other remote areas. Most aircraft don’t give position reports as probably under surveillance. It’s clearly a “ cry wolf “ system.
Last edited by Dick Smith; 13th Apr 2018 at 06:15.