Sc ATCC R/T Quality/Bandboxing

[jalbert]

Hi guys .
In my job we get a lot of handovers between Shannon and Scottish high level,usually to 125.67.On transferring we always notice a deterioration in qualty of R/T transmission (NOT in professionalism or phraseology).After the Shannon broadcasts their Scottish colleagues sound much more "tinny " for want of a better word.All the crews remark on it so it's not my imagination.Any guesses as to what causes this?Different equipment maybe?I understand that this frequency is remotely transmitted from Tiree but that's hardly further than Shannons remote sites on the west coast of Ireland.Is there another site or would it make a difference?
Also when you people are Bandboxing what happens in the case of simultaneous transmissions on both your working frequencies?Do you get the usual garble and request a "say again" or is there a clever way around it?
Thanks for your help.

[RogerOut]

Jalbert, on bandboxed high level during the wee small hours there are 8 frequencies to monitor, in reality there may be up to 6 in use (2 being further sector split frequencies), it is entirely possible and sometimes the case that all 6 frequencies have a/c on them. We can QSY a/c to a minimum amount of frequencies (I reckon 3) so the system is more workable. Often as you say a/c DO call at the same time, and with a bit of guess work you can certainly guess who called and ask them to say again (You cant say "a/c calling Scottish - say again" as BOTH/ALL THREE will call you again AT ONCE!) At best it's a minor nuisance, at worst - well......... Of course we could get multicoupling of frequencies introduced which would allow an a/c on freq A to hear what an a/c on freq B has transmitted allowing the frequencies to operate almost like a single frequency. But that would cost money wouldn't it? As for the quality - complain, we can pass the complaint on to Tels who can then look at it. This HAS happened in the past. Or get your company to put it in writing to the centre, it would be looked at not as a meddlesome airline, but a genuine problem to be solved. On another note please bear with us, if you can hear the controller asking a question of another a/c, realise that just because you can't hear the a/c replying doesn't mean he's not there, it is 99% probable the a/c is on another frequency, and if you come in with a request we won't hear that a/c or your a/c, with resultant confusion allround. We CAN deselect the tx function but to continually do that would require the skills of Bobby Crush. You know - the joanna player! :)


Edited to change choice of pianner player.
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RogerOut
I Keep Mine Hidden

[This message has been edited by RogerOut (edited 21 June 2001).]

[radar1]

I'm surprised to note that you don't have the facility to re-transmit when bandboxing at Scottish; it must create problems when you're busy?

At Shannon, most of the time at least one of the sectors will be using 2 or more frequencies, so that if it gets beyond capacity the sector can be split straight away.

When we have a few frequencies in use at once, we select a "Re-trans" setting which means that an aircraft on one frequency will hear the aircraft on all other frequencies that the controller is working.

This avoids (almost) any stepping over other transmissions.

From time to time we forget to select the re-transmit function and you then realise that without it the frequencies become difficult to work.

[RogerOut]

Radar1, oh the luxury you describe :) I think what you're referring to is what we would call multi-coupling, which Latcc has (anyone from Manch comment?). I would like to make it clear though, that if it becomes anywhere near remotely busy, we would split the sectors again. It does get annoying I admit, and we know thats not conducive to a safe environment. But it would take money to solve - now if they didn't pay out those bonuses this year. OOps. :)

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RogerOut
I Keep Mine Hidden

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

As someone fairly interested in communications I would say that handsets provide inferior R/T when compared to our headsets. Anyone with an airband receiver can confirm this themselves. Lord alone knows why some controllers use them but there's no accounting for taste! Cross-coupling (the facility we have at LATCC to operate on two freqs) does introduce peculiar effects - sometimes quite an echo can be heard on the side-tone but I've never heard this when listening in from home..

[matspart3]

Slightly off the thread but on the same frequency. For a number of years, we've been getting calls for 'Scottish' (maybe 2 or 3 per month) on our Approach frequency of 125.65MHz. I wonder now if these have been just mis-dialled or perhaps misheard?

[Bigears]

matspart3 - surely you meant ' Slightly off the thread and slightly off the frequency'!