Ah SS - now you have started quoting yourself to try and make your case (the bit about monitoring Valley and ops normals) - there is a job for you in the tabloid press!
You obviously know someone who was on the det but still haven't got your facts right
As a matter of fact in this weekends case, the R44 was in contact with crab himself during this incident on the local helicopter departure frequency, which apparently SAR used regularly to inform them of their positions.
Not true - when we went back in during the afternoon on a training trip, we talked to the R44 on their company frequency which we had obtained from their hotel. During the SAROP in the morning, we only made broadcasts on 121.5.
The whole issue of this thread is about crabs misinterpretation of the events.
Not true - more about other people (who were not there) misinterpreting the events and jumping to conlcusions.
The mountain flying course were aware of the TDA and later asked what is all about. I suspect the broadcast did not specify why a TDA has been set up and that is why he was asked about it.
They only questioned it long after the job was complete (again on the telephone). The broadcast for a TDA only says it is for SAROPs which should be enough for anyone.
Finally, the reason the 5 out of 6 a/c weren't monitoring 121.5 (crabs figures) is because they were on a course on a company freq. The No6 (R44) was monitoring both freqs!
But all you guys have told me no-one would pay for a second radio and wouldn't listen on 121.5 anyway - clearly the R44 number 6 is a top operator and all round good bloke.
Given the circumstances, the course were most at risk from one of their own helis, as far as arriving and departing from the hotel is concerned - therefore they used their company frequency (as did we) plus information calls to Caernafon Radio. There is a DEPCOM frequency but I don't suppose that gets used much in civvystrasse despite it being there for exactly that reason......bit like 121.5 really
PS - nice picture