Hi!
Interesting thread, really!
It kind of reminds me on the typical "gps or non-gps" discussions on our airfield. Some people say, it's better to have no GPS on Board and just navigate by looking out and some think it's better to have GPS.
I think it's all depending on the attitude of the user, not the technique itself. I love flying only by looking out, but it's a good thing to have a moving map on board, especially when it comes to "near CTR-border" flights.
Back to the VHF-discussion: in Stockerau (LOAU) it usually is procedure, that the aircraft in base calls "OE-COG on base as number 2, number 1 in sight". So he combines it with a usual call that has to be made during this phase of flight. For me, it's very good to know that he has noticed me. If he is number two and doesn't say that when he calls the aerodrome, Ground usually tells him "you're number two, do you have number 1 in sight"?
Never heard anything negative about that on our aerodrome and it's just safer than just flying there and not knowing if other planes see me. That's the point, when you see the other one's, it's good, but it's much better to know, that it is also the other way 'round.
Bernd