In five flights around the world I have tested 121.5 in some pretty unusual places..
Even halfway across the Indian Ocean between Diago Garcia and Cocos I got an instant reply after a test call on 121.5 - from a high flying US military aircraft.
All across Australia - normally in my chopper at 500agl - from SW Tasmania to Cape York and in the Kimberly in valleys - a quick test call on 121.5 has always resulted in an answer.
No looking down at charts all the time to work out what frequency to be on if this became a recommended practice .
No it isn't a requirement in the USA - they have no recommended frequency for VFR to monitor when en route in E or G. VFR don't even require a radio!
And they don't have frequency boundaries marked on charts!
How could the system ever work? How could all those aircraft get to Oshkosh ?
Last edited by Dick Smith; 1st Nov 2014 at 08:50.