Position Reporting using Airbox Clarity

[Miroku]

A question regarding position reporting.

I have an Airbox Clarity which shows a position on the screen eg '5 nm south of Popham'. However, the position is sometimes a little unclear, for example, yesterday on the way to Bembridge I was asked for my position and on looking at the Clarity it said 2nm west of Colemore Common.

I didn't know where this was and it was only after I landed and studied the chart did I find out it was a microlight field near Petersfield.

Would the controller have known where Colemore Common was or should I have given a better known feature? Or ask Airbox if they can modify the database?

[eastern wiseguy]

Controllers/Fiso's usually have an encyclopaedic knowledge of places that aircraft inhabit. I was caught out the other day when an aircraft reported diverting to "Causeway airfield" Despite having worked the Belfast area since 1986 I had never heard of it. Seems the airfield had been renamed. Point is if I don't know where you are I will endeavour to find out by asking you to refer to other identifiable features . I guess you weren't transponder equipped?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Ahh.. brings back memories of blodgits (spe?); bet nobody on here remembers..

Although ATCOs have to have a good knowledge of the local area, in giving positions I suggest a reference to a standard reporting point as most of them are marked on radar and controllers will be very familiar with them.. E.g. Say "5 miles south of Woodley" rather than "2 miles northeast of Farley Hill".

[BrATCO]

Once, a trainee VFR pilot obviously didn't wish to say on the frequency she had forgotten to turn on crosswind leg and on downwind.
So, instead of saying she was on a far-far-away downwind, she reported "overhead Babou". Babou was a big cloths store...
We found her.

[Lon More]

On the cross-channel low level route we were frequently asked to report at Botolph's Bridge which never seemed to be on any chart we had.

Finally found the pub (http://www.botolphsbridgeinn.co.uk/) when driving back from Lydd one day.

[Miroku]

I guess you weren't transponder equipped?

Funnily enough yes I was, mode C, which puzzled me a bit. During the flight I was asked twice for my position, once by Farnborough Radar and once by Solent Radar. Each gave me a squawk so I was surprised to be asked for my position.

The point of my question is that if I say my position as per the Airbox Clarity, will the controller be aware just where I am? From what I've read of the replies I guess there is a 'fair' chance but a more prominent feature would be better.

In which case it would be better if the GPS could be programmed to do that...........

[On the beach]

Aaah Blodgit, Oh what fun we had in the good old days of primary.

ATC: "Unidentified traffic 12 o'clock, 5 miles, opposite direction, no height information".

A/C: "Whoops, there he goes, contrailing about 30,000ft above us".

Blodgit.