and some helicopters are not 8.33 equipped....I believe it was the rotary winged types ST was referring to.
Gonzo is correct, my helicopter can't receive the NAV broadcasts on the ground and prior to engine start the aircraft is designed such that I can only have my box #1, which has 25 Khz spacing, live.
I can actually change the radio to 8.33 spacing but it's a basic box setup menu option, not straightforward to do, and not a good idea to start fiddling with the main NAV/COMM box in this respect, especially when there is no requirement to use that spacing in flight. (By the time I'd worked out how to change it back again, in order to request my clearance on the same box, the QNH might have changed anyway...
).
Operating single pilot from LHR in particular, my workload is very high, especially prior to and during start-up.
There's only me to liase with the handling agent, get the a/c refuelled, do the paperwork, receive the pax, load the bags, do the safety brief, communicate with delivery and ask for the ATIS (!) prior to obtaining clearances for my start, taxi and departure. I then usually need to check the ramp chart / plates (and consider how I will navigate myself along the the correct taxi route, which is often convoluted) especially as the SVFR departure clearance is not always as requested. The latter can take some careful thought to assimilate what it actually means; if not familiar I need to check the cleared route on the SVFR heli-lanes chart, work out what it actually involves and how I'm going to navigate it. In addition, "Standard operating altitudes", as these clearances include, involves up to four different altitudes before leaving the zone; we are expected to achieve and maintain them, as well as two frequency changes by two miles from the departure point.
I don't have an APU so I have to conserve battery life. By design, everything comes at me in very short order; on this type of helicopter, the rotors start along with the first engine and I need my hands on the flight controls once that occurs, effectively the aircraft is waking up and beginning to fly.
The point I'm making is: If I, as a lone hand, can manage to read back the QNH whenever required to by ATC, ICAO or otherwise, surely a multi-pilot crew should have no problem or issue with it.