simply have all aerodromes operating on a (published on charts etc) area fequency basis with a very few basic mandatory radio calls
Hear, hear. The amount of extra radio chatter that clutters a circuit nowadays is beyond the pale. Of course, pilots have no choice because it is set in stone in AIP. This superfluous use of radio is the direct result of knee-jerk legal and media attention following a couple of accidents in the circuit area. Unmerciful culling of mandated radio calls is needed if only because a Mayday call may go unheard over the din of such constant gems as "Vacating runway 17". and a few seconds later "Vacated runway 17" plus its various other radio call appendages