Thanks for the responses ... it appears that, whilst some ac may have programmable radios/second radios, for the majority it's down to manual inputting of the new frequency.
Whenever I take a handover, or have an ac check-in, I am immediately looking to 'Identify' the ac and apply the appropriate service. I was always taught that at the point when I say "C/S Identified Radar Control", the contract was made and it became my responsibility to ensure separation was maintained.
I find it strange that a tiny minority of captains seem to find it acceptable to continue on a new sector, without having had a positive statement of change of controller on the new frequency. In particular, if the change of sector triggers verbal direction to change frequency (eg "C/S contact London Centre 123.45"), why is it that captains consider it acceptable to continue without checking-in with the new sector? Are our frequencies now so congested that it is impossible to get a word in?
Not seriously expecting answers, but I'll leave with a multiple-choice question:
You move from one FIR to the next, selecting the next frequency and, having first checked to ensure no-one else is transmitting, call the new controller to announce your presence. The new controller does not respond. Do you:
a. Chop to previous frequency to confirm the new frequency you dialled was correct, then try again?
b. Squawk ident, select Guard, and make a call to establish contact and obtain the new frequency?
c. Plough-on regardless, listening only to static and the company freq, hoping that you will soon be in range of the destination airport and can check-in with them when ready for descent?
If you chose C, just what form of Radar Service are you receiving in the mean time ???