PPRuNe Radar, I think they have got better than they were as we actually get the occasional call from Brest/Reims
civil co-ordinating a
military transit just south of the FIR boundary. Even worse, we sometimes get the Mil guys themselves calling, then it can get exciting.
Its occurring too often now that a track approaching the FIR boundary from Brest Control is "out of contact" due to running out of RTF range.
CaptainSandL, the controller has no idea that you have run out of range until they cannot make contact. As it happens so often in Brest airspace, they probably have an idea that it
could occur but to support them, the ranges of RTF all depend on so many factors that its not best to second guess (weather, receiving equipment, transmitters available, altitude of a/c etc). If you feel you are running out of range then maybe you have the responsibility of telling ATC they are 'fading out' and request a better frequency. You will probably find this time of year that the controller is using several frequencies at a time, all bandboxed together, so has one that suits coverage further north anyhow. If it does keep happenning then please keep the ASR's flowing, the occasional one that floats a little
TOO far north before contact has already caused extra work at the wrong time for us receivers. With your ASR's and our MOR's then eventually they might actually listen.
