Shared Frequencies
Yesterday I popped into Peterborough Sibson to get some fuel. Apparently empty circuit, lots of circuit r/t. Was my lookout really so bad that I couldn't see all of these people? It took me a moment to realise that most of the transmissions on the a/g frequency were from or to Blackbushe. I don't recall seeing the shared frequency mentioned in the published guide which I checked before I set off. Bourn has this problem as well, although I can't remember who it shares its frequency with. It's OK if people remember to say "Sibson" or whatever it is at the beginning of each transmission, but often they don't.
Where else does this occur? I gather that frequencies are in short supply, but couldn't overlaps between airfields close enough to hear each other be avoided? Are all of the frequencies in use really needed by those who've got them? I can think of places that have ATIS, GND, TWR and APP, but no radar, whilst other much bigger places get by without the GND and sometimes without the APP.
PS Sibson is well worth a visit if you haven't tried it: Very pleasant field, friendly welcome, and entertaining sight of entirely bonkers Ukrainian para-jump ship (called something like a Turbulentia). When it departs it thinks it's a Lightning on an intercept (with added blokes in stretchy suits dangling their feet out of the back door). When it returns a few minutes later (minus stretchy suits), it thinks it's a Stuka. When it lands and turns on its reverse thrusters it thinks it's a helicopter. Worth the landing fee just to watch that.
[ 06 August 2001: Message edited by: FNG ]