n reply to Squawk 2000, Ardmore had a two frequency system,and it worked well.(until the tower was dis-established)
We used 118.1 for taxi instructions and joining instructions,
and 120.1 for circuits.
No problems., in fact, very good.
Loco,
Am well familiar with the good old Ardmore days, I did all my training and initial instructing there from 89-98. From memory, you requested joining instructions prior to entering the zone and on entering the zone you were changed to the tower freq. In hamilton you can be well within the zone and be operating on different freq's to aircraft that are not that far away at all. And there appears to be no set freq designation, just appears to be what ever freq is the flavour of the day or ATCO shift i.e. somedays you are initally on 125.9 prior to changing to 122.9 for the circuit, other days it's vice versa. Some days you can arrive in the circuit on 122.9 and therefore use 125.9 for your next airways clearance only to be told to change back to 122.9 for start and clearance. And just when you think you got it sorted, they operate one freq for all purposes.
It's just a wee bit dodgy is all I'm saying and wondering if something more solid and maybe published procedure is in place before CTC add to the already crowded environment
Having said that heard some ATCO's (particuarly a female one) do a great job working an all purpose single freq.
Am wondering if CTC had come to NZ a few years earlier or Airways had delayed the closure of AR Tower by the same, whether AR would still be controlled and CTC the main training organisation there, as they only left AR because of the JAR requirement for CPL students to train from a Controlled aerodrome.