When to use HF
Yes. Use the HF anytime you'd normally use VHF but can't because you're out of range.
Be aware that Flightwatch are a messenger service, they can't give you clearances and traffic information directly, they just relay that information from the relevant centre controller. This means it can take time to get what you need. Don't call for a clearance and expect to get it in the next breath, it may take several minutes.
Also be aware that the Flightwatch guys monitor several different frequencies spread over a large area. Don't get annoyed if they don't respond to you straight away even if you can't hear any other activity on frequency. They are probably busy on a different frequency.
Make sure you tell them what frequency you're transmitting on. They can't respond to you if they don't know what frequency you came through on.
When contacting them, try the frequency you were given by centre or if you didn't get one, go for a higher frequency during the day and lower at night (each area has three frequencies to choose from). Wait at least 30 seconds before calling again if you get no response and try two or three times on one frequency before trying another.
Be aware that they may be booming through nice and clearly to you but you might not be to them. Also they have several transmitter sites to choose from. If you can't hear them very well, tell them and they'll probably try a different transmitter. A big clue that a change of transmitters will fix things is if you hear them clearly talking to another aircraft but when they talk to you you can't hear them clearly.
Try not to give them, or ask for, unnecessary information. HF comms are a pain in the arse so use it to get the minimum of information you need to conduct your flight safely, no more. For example, if you're on the ground and need to file a plan, use a phone, don't clog up the Flightwatch frequency with it. All common curtesy type stuff really.
Be aware that Flightwatch are a messenger service, they can't give you clearances and traffic information directly, they just relay that information from the relevant centre controller. This means it can take time to get what you need. Don't call for a clearance and expect to get it in the next breath, it may take several minutes.
Also be aware that the Flightwatch guys monitor several different frequencies spread over a large area. Don't get annoyed if they don't respond to you straight away even if you can't hear any other activity on frequency. They are probably busy on a different frequency.
Make sure you tell them what frequency you're transmitting on. They can't respond to you if they don't know what frequency you came through on.
When contacting them, try the frequency you were given by centre or if you didn't get one, go for a higher frequency during the day and lower at night (each area has three frequencies to choose from). Wait at least 30 seconds before calling again if you get no response and try two or three times on one frequency before trying another.
Be aware that they may be booming through nice and clearly to you but you might not be to them. Also they have several transmitter sites to choose from. If you can't hear them very well, tell them and they'll probably try a different transmitter. A big clue that a change of transmitters will fix things is if you hear them clearly talking to another aircraft but when they talk to you you can't hear them clearly.
Try not to give them, or ask for, unnecessary information. HF comms are a pain in the arse so use it to get the minimum of information you need to conduct your flight safely, no more. For example, if you're on the ground and need to file a plan, use a phone, don't clog up the Flightwatch frequency with it. All common curtesy type stuff really.
Last edited by AerocatS2A; 10th Jul 2012 at 10:54.
There is not much fun listening to the crackle and pop of the HF for hours at a time, really messes with the music on the intercom.
After a few days of that I know why SELCAL was invented!
After a few days of that I know why SELCAL was invented!
Selcal = selective call. If your aeroplane has it and the HF station has it, they can send a coded transmission that makes your selcal unit ring. Then you can respond to them. It means you don't have to have the HF hashing away in the background all the time.
Last edited by AerocatS2A; 10th Jul 2012 at 11:32.
Outnabout, no problem. Until recently, HF had been my primary intelligent human contact for about ten years.
romeocharlie, domestic HF, callsign "Flightwatch", don't have selcal. At least they didn't up until last year when I ended my ongoing relationship with them. International HF, callsign "Brisbane International" do have it. So it depends on who you are actually talking to. We would try and use Brisbane when we could even if strictly in Flightwatch airspace so that we could have a selcal watch. Check the enroute charts, selcal is noted below the frequencies for the stations that have it.
romeocharlie, domestic HF, callsign "Flightwatch", don't have selcal. At least they didn't up until last year when I ended my ongoing relationship with them. International HF, callsign "Brisbane International" do have it. So it depends on who you are actually talking to. We would try and use Brisbane when we could even if strictly in Flightwatch airspace so that we could have a selcal watch. Check the enroute charts, selcal is noted below the frequencies for the stations that have it.
Be aware that Flightwatch are a messenger service, they can't give you clearances and traffic information directly, they just relay that information from the relevant centre controller.
Flight watch is manned by AusFIC (Australian Flight Information Centre I believe). They're also the guys who ring you up when you've buggered up your flight plan, and even issue the NOTAM's as well I think.
It does amaze me the number of students who leave their flying schools never having touched a HF radio (I was one of them!), some don't even know what one is. Yet it's such a vital piece of aviation infrastructure in Australia, because of the vast outback areas that simply could not support a huge network of VHF transmitters.
I remember doing mail runs in the Tanami Dessert, where the only times you'd hear something on the VHF radio, was departing or arriving Alice Springs. The rest of the trip, it was very lonely on the radio, or you were talking to flight watch on the HF.
morno
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Morno, they actually just moved hf into the brissy center, about a month ago.
I think it was so they could split the noc off. I listen to snippets of hf when talking to them, its horrible. I couldn't do it.
I think it was so they could split the noc off. I listen to snippets of hf when talking to them, its horrible. I couldn't do it.
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Selcal in the '70s and '80s
romeocharlie:
You're not a knob; your recollections are quite correct. Sit down children while you receive a history lesson from an old codger long before the days of "Brisbane International".
Prior to '85 SELCAL facilities were only available on the international HF workstations located within the Flight Service Centres at Sydney, Perth and Darwin (this is in the days before FS was amalgamated with ATC). The Selcal networks were the SP6 network (South Pacific), the SEA3 network (South East Asia) and the INO5 network (Indian Ocean).
The Sydney Flight Service Centre was equipped with SP6 and SEA3 frequencies, the Perth Flight Service Centre had SEA3 and INO5 frequencies while the Darwin FSC only had SEA3 frequencies.
Sydney used SP6 for all aircraft travelling to NZ, Honolulu, Tahiti and Nadi and SEA3 for all aircraft operating within trans-continental control areas (R576 etc) but outside VHF range of ATC. Perth used INO5 for all aircraft travelling to Columbo, Bombay, Cocos, Mauritius and South Africa and SEA3 for international aircraft travelling to Asia as well as all domestic aircraft operating within the transcontinenal control areas (TCTAs). Darwin FSC operated a similar concept.
It must be remembered that ATC VHF coverage was very limited over continental Australia in the '70s and '80s, not like now. For example, Sydney ATC VHF coverage only extended to Parkes, requiring flights from Sydney to Alice Springs having to be transferred to HF until 150nm AS before they were then transferred to Alice Tower on VHF. Aircraft overlying AS for Asia were virtually left on HF for the rest of their flights until they established VHF contact with Bali or Jakarta. Perth ATC coverage to the east only extended to about Esperance requiring aircraft to be transferred to HF before crossing the Bight (and vice versa). ATC VHF coverage to the north of Perth ceased at about Ballidu and Carnarvon. Brisbane ATC VHF coverage to the west ceased at Taroom. I can't recall the extent of ATC VHF coverage to the south of Darwin.
Therefore, many domestic airlines (mainly B727s) travelling in TCTAs to Darwin, Alice Springs, Mt Isa or Perth (over the Bight) were often transferred to SEA3 international frequencies even though they were actually domestic flights. The main reason for this is that the FSOs manning the international HF workstations in Sydney, Perth and Darwin had direct coordination links with the ATC units responsible for the TCTAs, whereas some of the domestic FS HF units didn't. This resulted in more efficient processing of level change or diversion requests from aircraft operating in the TCTAs.
Therefore, it was not unusual in those days for Ansett and TAA B727 pilots to be transferred to a Selcal watch on international HF frequencies when operating within TCTAs but outside of ATC VHF coverage.
Herewith endeth the history lesson; now I can go back to reminiscing about the good old days when aviation was actually fun (I know you pilots hated all the crackle and pops but I loved it! Probably explains why my wife thinks I am not quite right in the head)
You're not a knob; your recollections are quite correct. Sit down children while you receive a history lesson from an old codger long before the days of "Brisbane International".
Prior to '85 SELCAL facilities were only available on the international HF workstations located within the Flight Service Centres at Sydney, Perth and Darwin (this is in the days before FS was amalgamated with ATC). The Selcal networks were the SP6 network (South Pacific), the SEA3 network (South East Asia) and the INO5 network (Indian Ocean).
The Sydney Flight Service Centre was equipped with SP6 and SEA3 frequencies, the Perth Flight Service Centre had SEA3 and INO5 frequencies while the Darwin FSC only had SEA3 frequencies.
Sydney used SP6 for all aircraft travelling to NZ, Honolulu, Tahiti and Nadi and SEA3 for all aircraft operating within trans-continental control areas (R576 etc) but outside VHF range of ATC. Perth used INO5 for all aircraft travelling to Columbo, Bombay, Cocos, Mauritius and South Africa and SEA3 for international aircraft travelling to Asia as well as all domestic aircraft operating within the transcontinenal control areas (TCTAs). Darwin FSC operated a similar concept.
It must be remembered that ATC VHF coverage was very limited over continental Australia in the '70s and '80s, not like now. For example, Sydney ATC VHF coverage only extended to Parkes, requiring flights from Sydney to Alice Springs having to be transferred to HF until 150nm AS before they were then transferred to Alice Tower on VHF. Aircraft overlying AS for Asia were virtually left on HF for the rest of their flights until they established VHF contact with Bali or Jakarta. Perth ATC coverage to the east only extended to about Esperance requiring aircraft to be transferred to HF before crossing the Bight (and vice versa). ATC VHF coverage to the north of Perth ceased at about Ballidu and Carnarvon. Brisbane ATC VHF coverage to the west ceased at Taroom. I can't recall the extent of ATC VHF coverage to the south of Darwin.
Therefore, many domestic airlines (mainly B727s) travelling in TCTAs to Darwin, Alice Springs, Mt Isa or Perth (over the Bight) were often transferred to SEA3 international frequencies even though they were actually domestic flights. The main reason for this is that the FSOs manning the international HF workstations in Sydney, Perth and Darwin had direct coordination links with the ATC units responsible for the TCTAs, whereas some of the domestic FS HF units didn't. This resulted in more efficient processing of level change or diversion requests from aircraft operating in the TCTAs.
Therefore, it was not unusual in those days for Ansett and TAA B727 pilots to be transferred to a Selcal watch on international HF frequencies when operating within TCTAs but outside of ATC VHF coverage.
Herewith endeth the history lesson; now I can go back to reminiscing about the good old days when aviation was actually fun (I know you pilots hated all the crackle and pops but I loved it! Probably explains why my wife thinks I am not quite right in the head)
Ah well there you go. Thanks mike.
morno
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We quite often use HF where I work ... 'organized chaos' probably best describes it with aircraft literally hundreds (possibly thousands) of miles away giving position reports, sometimes to stations located even further away. Transmitting on HF over the top of another call originating hundreds of miles away is hard getting use to, since we've always been taught not to over transmit when using VHF ... it's a hard habit to break.