Hello all, I am planning some long-distance trips this year (all being well) and will need HF for some of the remote regions I plan to cross. I am booking test for the HF RTF license, and trying to obtain appropriate HF set (probably IC-706) and ATU (SG-237) to have fitted to the aircraft.
I have some questions about the practicalities of operating HF - I have some experience as a keen HF ham-band operator when I was younger (VK2CHA back in Australia about 35yrs ago!) so I understand the vagaries of HF propagation and SSB operations in general. And no, I won't have Selcall.
What I would like help with is to understand how to find the HF frequencies I'll need: is there somewhere I can look these up? e.g. in the UK I'd like to test my airborne rig with a test call to Shanwick, but how do I find out the frequency(s) to call?
The trip(s) I am planning will take me through the Middle East and Sub-Continent areas. How would I find the freqs to use: do I just wait for the last VHF controller I speak with to tell me the frequencies, or can I prepare in advance (and channelise them in the IC-706)?
Thanks!
Andy
My Aussie RTOL includes HF....presumably yours does as well?.....Many planes at the RACWA in Perth had HF radios (a requirement for remote area operations if no ELT...) the radios were pre-tuned to half a dozen frequencies (which are marked on the PCA) Pre-takeoff checks included a HF radio check... I also remember years ago in my junior offshore field engineer days using HF to communicate with the "beach"....either directly or via a radio phone link....the reception at a given frequency depended heavily on the time of day (atmospheric effects)....a few years ago (post-9/11 but before the full knee-jerk) I flew in the jump-seat of a 747 from London to Singapore and over some of the remote areas in Asia the crew tried (unsuccessfully) to give position reports via HF....in the end their calls were relayed via VHF by other aircraft
I think you would be better going with a satellite phone....
G'day Awqward...
"My Aussie RTOL includes HF....presumably yours does as well?."
I have a UK (JAR) PPL(A) - have lived here 23yrs. I am home (Sydney) at least once/year on average and when I fly out of YSBK or YSCN I use my UK license plus an Australian "Special" license which essentially extends my UK privileges into Australian airspace when in VH aircraft.
"the radios were pre-tuned to half a dozen frequencies (which are marked on the PCA) Pre-takeoff checks included a HF radio check"
Yeah, the Australian HF freqs e.g. "Brisbane Radio" are publicised on the back of charts etc... not out here. So my challenge is to find that equivalent for areas such as Middle East and the Sub-Continent...
"over some of the remote areas in Asia the crew tried (unsuccessfully) to give position reports via HF....in the end their calls were relayed via VHF by other aircraft"
Yeah, I don't expect it work work :-) but I do need to carry it to fly on airways, which is the only sort of over-flight permission you can get in many parts of the world... so you see my problem :-)
but I do need to carry it to fly on airways, which is the only sort of over-flight permission you can get in many parts of the world... so you see my problem
Ah.... Perhaps BA or Qantas ops may be able to help....I may be able to help if you need it
Looks like you need MWARA and RDARA...
Thanks guys!! I didn't know what to search for: OK so "MWARA" (Major World Air Route Areas) is the key word, awesome chaps - thanks!
Hodja: "Incidentally I'm soon fitting an HF radio in a DA42, although I'm not quite at the implementation stage yet."
Not sure where you're based, but if in southern UK I have found an avionics engineer to fit HF to my PA28 (in my case this will probably be an IC-706 favoured by ferry pilots)...
(probably IC-706) and ATU (SG-237)
These are not certified for aeronautical use so you will not be able to put it on the aircraft radio licence. In any case the UK FRTOL does not entitle the holder to use a tuneable radio!
but is not entitled to operate the transmitter, or to adjust its frequency, except by the use of external switching devices.
What I would like help with is to understand how to find the HF frequencies I'll need: is there somewhere I can look these up? e.g. in the UK I'd like to test my airborne rig with a test call to Shanwick, but how do I find out the frequency(s) to call?
Are you serious? Flight Information Publications FLIP Docs RAF AERAD etc
Probably be cheaper and more effective to get a Sat Phone!
You can pick up a used Iridium satphone (there is a 9505 on Ebay for £300 right now) and a prepaid SIM card and it will be a whole lot more useful when in a liferaft, but can a satphone be used to meet the legal requirement?
Also a handheld satphone may not work too well in a metal cockpit. It is fairly common to find them installed in jets and turboprops but they get wired into the intercom and have a rooftop antenna (which looks like a GPS one).
