Use of Guard
Unfortunatly as part of the syllabus for the radio licence issue was a demonstration of the guard channel and a "practice pan".
I instructed before going onto an airline , so have seen both arguements and feel that on both sides there has been wrong.
Yes the use of guard to do a "practice pan" can at times seem irritating, but I feel that my time as an instructor has made my mind set more tolerant to those coming along in the training side. And I can as just easily turn down the volume if I do not desire it overriding my box 1.
What I feel is equally irritating is pilots of larger aircraft feeling that 121.5 is airline domain, and ..guard it religiously as if it were for them alone..with calls of "On Guard" at the slightest whisper.
While doing some light aircraft Instruction recently on my days off, I overheard a Private Pilot get into bad weather and need the assistance of "Guard" to help him navigate to a safe area. but the transmission from D&D was stepped on by an Airline pilot deciding to give the Controller and the PPL a short telling off for talking "on Guard".