Originally Posted by
sabenaboy
I do not understand why SELCAL is not implemented at all ATC units to use it on 121.5. The technology is really simple. (A SELCAL signal can even be transmitted using a smartphone.) Almost all airliners already have SELCAL capability. (Yes, it does work on VHF!) Monitoring 121.5 continuously over Europe has become counterproductive and nearly impossible to maintain.
Quite a lot of airliners still flying around without SELCAL. And not only that, the intent of the emergency frequency is that as many people can hear you or your ELT, so they can relay the information to the appropriate unit without delay. The issue with monitoring 121.5 in Europe is nobody else's fault but our own. If we would act a bit more like professional pilots and a bit less like 5-year old children, it would be very simple. I don't know how professional pilots, especially captains, can tolerate that somebody from their flightdeck is transmitting animal voices and similar sounds on 121.5. What purpose does it serve other than to show all the rest of us that the person making sounds isn't mature enough to sit in the flightdeck of an airliner?
Couple of days ago I heard German Air Defense trying to reach an aircraft that hasn't been replying to ATC calls and not even 5 seconds later some German voice was asking who scored the latest goal for Germany. Not waiting even long enough to give the crew opportunity to answer to call. Professional bunch of guys.