Very many thanks for posting that CharlieRomeo. That’s exactly what I was looking for – the regulations as implemented by the DFS. I think that makes the position clear.
CharlieRomeo wrote:
Bodenfunkstellen haben ständige Hörbereitschaft….
This is the exact wording of the German version of SERA.14080(b).
Luftfahrzeuge auf langen Überwasserflügen…
…and that is the exact wording of the German version of SERA.14080(a)(1).
So this is not a new German policy, but a reminder of binding rules that have been in effect all over EASA-land for several years.
Maybe some of the confusion arised due to a fairly new publication of the DFS, the NfL 1-2078-20. I attached it, but it is unfortunately in German only. This document is part of a series regarding radiotelephony procedures. This version became effective last November, but it usually takes some time for the latest version to trickle down to everyone. Sprechfunkverfahren_NfL_1_2078_20_pdf
It introduced a new policy towards monitoring 121,500 MHz for both ground and airborne stations. The former got this rule:
Bodenfunkstellen haben ständige Hörbereitschaft auf der VHF-Notfrequenz
121,500 MHZ während der Dienstzeiten der Dienststellen zu halten, an denen
sie installiert ist. Befinden sich zwei oder mehr solcher Funkstellen an
derselben Stelle, wird diese Verpflichtung durch die Gewährleistung der
Hörbereitschaft auf der Frequenz 121,500 MHz an einer der Funkstellen
erfüllt.
which translates to
Aeronautcial ground stations have to maintain a listening wath on the VHF guard freqency 121,500 MHz during their hours of operation, if it is installed in these stations. If there are two or more of such stations at the same location, only one of those has to maintain the listening watch to comply with this obligation.
Note that this does not mean ATC/ATS stations only but every ground station where it is technically possible, including uncontrolled fields and glider sites. Most of these have more than one radio anyway, so it is no probem to have one of these tuned to 121,500 MHz.
For aircraft in flight, it states:
Luftfahrzeuge auf langen Überwasserflügen oder auf Flügen über
festgelegten Gebieten, über denen das Mitführen eines selbsttätigen
Notsenders (ELT) vorgeschrieben ist, haben ständige Hörbereitschaft auf der
VHF-Notruffrequenz 121,500 MHz zu halten, außer in den Zeiträumen, in
denen die Luftfahrzeuge Sprechfunkverkehr auf anderen VHF-Kanälen
durchführen oder wenn Beschränkungen der bordseitigen Ausrüstung oder
Aufgaben im Cockpit die gleichzeitige Hörbereitschaft auf zwei Kanälen nicht
erlauben.
which is:
Aircraft on long flights over open water or flying over areas where the carriage of an ELT is mandatory shall maintain a listening watch on VHF guard 121,500 Mhz, except during times in which they conduct radiotelephony on other VHF channels, or when the parallel monitoring of two channels is not possible due to tasks in the cockpit or the equipment installed.
As every German powerd airplane has to carry an ELT, the general idea is that one should therefore monitor guard whenerver possible, but I think your instructor was wrong in his opinion that you are not allowed to tune in anything else. On the contrary, the document explicitly exempts aircraft that need their radios for a different task.
This conversation comes up regularly worldwide. Monitoring 121.5 doesn’t seem to be a regular practice anywhere outside of a few segments of aircraft (e.g. airliners). I’ve rarely flown anything with more than one comm radio, and in a busy area typically monitor air to air when not on tower etc frequency. Much more useful in my US area.
Thanks Airborne!
I always monitor 121,5 on comm2 except when needed for other comms. Simply adjusting volume a bit lower using squelch works well for me.
Snoopy wrote:
Source? Explanation? Thanks
NCO.GEN.101 Means of compliance
Alternative means of compliance to those adopted by the Agency may be used by an operator to establish compliance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and its Implementing Rules
In other words, part-NCO is exceptional in that the operator may make its own AltMOCs without approval from the Competent Authority. Of course, if you do, it is entirely your responsibility that you do, in fact, follow the relevant rule.
Alpha_Floor wrote:
Don’t ALL ATS units monitor 121.5? Is it only D&D in the UK?
Apparently so and as far as I can see it is not a requirement in SERA that ATS units monitor 121.5 unless they are “equipped” to do so.
Ibra wrote:
In UK, 121.5 is monitored by a single unit, the D&D and they have receivers across whole country, so “listen 121.5 practice” may not be useful, in other places (France? US? Germany?), it seems this job is done by local ATC plus CAT/GA pilots, so the “listen practice” makes sense, but not sure about iany regulation texts…
Don’t ALL ATS units monitor 121.5? Is it only D&D in the UK?
When PCL did not work by night at StNazaire when airport was not attended, I did try few clicks on 121.5, hoping it’s linked to the runway lights as well but sadly it did not work !
At the end PCL worked on tower frequency after resetting 8.33khz setting in my GPS COM1, not sure how that got fiddled, COM2 is always on 25khz spacing, given as I don’t have two 8.33khz radios in aircraft, 121.5 is a useful to stick in COM2 box: it’s the only frequency that we are allowed to TX/RX in 25khz, as well as receiving ATIS
Sebastian_G wrote:
If ATC can not reach you they will try on 121,5. Setting up the approach, monitoring the morse code etc. is a great moment to mess up the COM1 volume and intercom settings and it is a great feature if ATC can call you on a second channel.
Ok, yes. That’s a good point. :)
