Originally Posted by thing
I fly around your area using the local LARS services. My initial would be 'Humberside zone G-**** request basic'
And you would be wrong
'Humberside
RADAR G-****
INBOUND, request basic
SERVICE'
RADAR - Look in the AIP / Pooleys. Humberside does not have a CTR of any form nor is it a MATZ, so it is Radar when operating with Radar, Approach when non-Radar
INBOUND - Nothing more annoying than picking up the wrong colour flight strip before you write the details on it. Saying "Inbound" or "Transit" (As has been the recommended practice for the last 4-5 years and may have even made it into the CAP 413 by now), makes for a happy Controller.
SERVICE - That's just me being pedantic. You're a Student, you want to sound if you know what you're doing, not cocky and gash.
After that - it's easy. As Adam Frisch has said:
Who are you: Self explanatory
Where are you: Self explanatory
What do you want: You've already addressed part of that, you can just refine that ("Request VFR arrival")
Want to sound really proficient - do they have an ATIS? (Look it up, yes they have). Listen to that before hand, write down the details, put it in your initial call:
'Humberside Radar, G-**** inbound,
With information........(letter)....request basic service.
Top tip - on your second transmission don't go through this mnemonic nonsense and repeat half the stuff you've said before. ATCO's only need telling twice by our wives - pilots only have to do it once.