Guys,
During my training, my flight schoool organised a trip to visit LATCC and D&D, where they (D&D) actively enchoraged us to call them - even for a practice - so that we wouldn't feel nervous about using them for real. Having been warned about abusing 121.5 by our intructors, their words were indeed comforting. Castigating trainee airmen and women for their use of 121.5 is unfair. I now sit RHS of a jet, and on the few occasions that I hear practice Pans on guard remind of the presence and value of D&D for all. We were all down there once and I am sure we ALL made use of this service, and called a Practice to hide the fact we really were lost, sorry, temporarilly(sp?!) unsure of position. Give em a break.