Aberdeen ATIS

[DB6]

Here's a request for the chaps who record the ATIS at Aberdeen; Please please please STOP MUMBLING! Have you any idea how difficult it is to make out what is being said over the static and engine noise from any distance away?
Listen to ATC or other airport ATIS's (except Dublin - 'Informayshone Kaybeck' :confused: ) and you'll get the idea.
Thanks chaps :ok:

[vintage ATCO]

Maybe better on the ATC Forum. Not sure how many air traffickers read this one. ;)

[U R NumberOne]

DB6 - Sorry you've had problems with our ATIS. I would suggest a more effective way of making us aware of the problem is a quick call on the RT or to the Watch Manager after landing, at least that way the ATIS can be re-recorded for the benefit of others at the time.

Just out of interest, is this on the arrival and departure ATIS, or just one of them? If it's the arrival one on the VOR, at what sort of range were you experiencing problems?

[flying dutchman]

DB6 have you tried 121.85 (ATIS) at ABZ much better reception, with no mumbling. Much clearer that 114.30 especially from long distance:ok: :cool:

Happy Flying

[niknak]

Its amazing that a place like Aberdeen doesn't have an automated voice atis linked to the metcom system.

Wasn't Aberdeen the location of the famous "The ******* DanAir ******* 154" story?, which according to legend went something like this:

"Aberdeen this is the ******* DanAir ******* 154"
"Station calling Aberdeen Approach, say again!"
"Aberdeen this is the ******* DanAir ******* 154".
"DanAir154 Aberdeen, use standard phraseology!"
"Roger, Aberdeen, suggest you listen to your ATIS".
ATIS is put on speaker in the radar room: "This is Aberdeen Information C at 0850......" in the background of the ATIS broadcast someone could be clearly heard yelling "For ***** sake, where's the ******* DanAir154?"....... :)

[DB6]

Contact! Great! UR No.1, I was going to explore several different avenues in the fullness of time but thought I'd try PPrune first (also I didn't know if it was the ATC or Met people who dealt with it). It's the VOR one and it's not the range or anything, it's the way it is spoken; very quickly and in low, almost conversational tones which render it very indistinct. It is almost always like this so it's not just a question of re-recording it, it's asking whoever records it to speak more loudly and clearly (please). Sure it's difficult to hear at long range but they all are, however you can usually make out what's being said.
Flying dutchman, the one time I tried that frequency I couldn't hear anything at all, I must try it again.

[tescoapp]

DB6 the 121.85 is a departure only ATIS but it is the same as the one on the VOR.

The only real problem using it appart from the legal side of things of DOC etc. is that its the same freq as Manchester ground which you can struggle getting through to them on stand 01 but at FL200 at ANGUS you can pick up clear as a bell (well maybe a bit of a piss take).

I agree completely though about manual recording of ATIS the automated ones are way better. Only down side is that it is sometimes to easy for the ATIS to be updated with pish which wouldn't warrant a manual ATIS to be re-recorded.

Is there any plans for ABZ to become a metal micky? it must be one of the few BAA installations not to have one

tescoapp

[U R NumberOne]

Tescoapp is right that 121.85 is only meant to be for aircraft on the airfield, although this is due to the fact that it's difficult to get if off 114.3 with the VOR being 6.7 miles away and hidden behind a hill. Not 100% sure of the DOC, probably 10nm, but I know a lot of crew do use it as an arrival ATIS as it is exactly the same recording.

It's interesting that is seems to be like this a lot of the time. The recording is made by the Tower Assistant and we have 17 of them, with a wide variety of voice tones and accents. All are very much aware of the importance of the task and make great efforts to deliver the best service (like in everything we do here!) ;)

As many other airfields use an automated ATIS - we may go the same way one day...until then we'll try to improve what we have. So in order to do that, if you experience a particularly bad recording, please let us know so we can check it out at the time. If it is a regular occurence it might well be a problem in between the tape and the transmitter.

DB6 - thanks for flagging this up, I'll check it out at work. And finally, the ******* Dan-Air story does the rounds with many units claiming it was theirs, but I can confirm that it was us...must see if it made it into the 'ATC line book'. :ok:

[DB6]

UR No 1, better today but still too fast. Automated ATIS will be money well spent :ok: .

[U R NumberOne]

Thanks DB6 - I'll keep an eye (or should that be an ear?) on it.