Well, I did my first MATZ penetration today, at Wattisham, (not solo...that'll be tomorrow, weather permitting) but I handled all the radio calls and I was rather pleased that it all went ok (except it was embarrassing to find out that the transponder didn't work) but, as my RT examiner mentioned, I still tend to talk too quickly!!

I think a lot of students tend to have RT trouble at first. I though I was ok on a radio. I use one at work and have an amateur radio licence but I was a disaster for the first 3 months in the air. The PTT isn't called the "brain disconnect button" for nothing!

Passing the RT practical was a good boost for my confidence and hopefully it'll only get better from now on.

If you're having trouble, don't worry! you're not alone and you *will* be ok on the radio in the end.

I think it's hard for everybody. I found it very hard. Now I have best part of 1k hours and still need to think a bit before making calls.

Like any language, aviation radio is highly context sensitive. After a while, you know what to expect, and this makes it a lot easier.

Unfortunately PPL training is run as an intensive '45hr' course so they drop you in at the deep end, making you do the radio early on. It's easy to get a total brain overload.

IF a private pilot cannot answer the radio in a reasonable manner, they absolutely do NOT belong at the pointy end...fact.
Learn and learn some more, that is the key.
Have a problem with the ATC communications?
There are many internest sources, learn and be prepared.

NO excuse, whatsoever.
Period!

Just curious, but how many flyers out there choose to aviate without using the radio because they don't feel that confident about using it as competently as they think they might?

A point for all radio beginners to remember is that the system is VERY complicated. You can't learn it all at once, and most people are only familiar with the parts of it they use regularly.

There are NINE different radio regimes (at least!) each one involving different requests, replies, or authorisations. I doubt whether most people can even name them all, and only a radio instructor could claim to be comfortable with them all.

Just to start you off, there are THREE different regimes, depending on the type of air traffic service available at an airfield. Anyone like to list all the others?