How long will you let the radio be silent?

mjburian

mjburian

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After reading Oliver's post on how to go off frequency to contact FSS (http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78486) I was reminded of a question I had (based on a flight last fall) that I've forgotten to ask.

On the flight in question, I was flying along fat, dumb and happy at noon on a Saturday when I realized that it's been REALLY quiet on the radio. For a while. (Felt like 20 mins since the last time I'd heard a transmission.) I feared a radio failure or some other issue with the OLD radios in the plane I fly, but checked in with Approach and there were no issues. According to the controller, he couldn't remember a time things had been that quiet recently. So now I'll ask:

How long will you let the radio be silent, assuming you're flying either IFR or VFR flight following, before checking in to verify radio contact?
 
As long as I dont have anything to say, I stay silent. There are plenty of airports in southern WI that I can dial in their freq to see if anything is going on if I'm close to them.
 
Untill I think there should be a freq change to another controller . When transiting different airspace.
 
I do like to hear SOMEthing every 15 minutes or so.

"Oakland Center Cessna 123XY Comm Check"

BTDT over the Sierra (even in the foothills). Did it once in Class B, on a much shorter fuse than 15 minutes. I get real nervous in Class B if I'm not hearing a constant stream of "cleared for the visual" for incoming airliners.
 
15-20 min of nothing and I'll hit the squelch then do a radio check.
 
Forever.

It's in the 'off' position. Save electrons.
 
Yeah, if it's been a while I check in with "...am I still on with ya?" Never seems to bother anyone, sometimes spawns a conversation, occasionally it catches an 'oops, sorry, forgot you there' and a handoff. I've never hesitated to call ATC with a question.
 
Thanks for the responses, guys. I realize that part of my fear is probably related to losing comms intermittently while in IMC, so I suspect there's a gremlin in the radios somewhere (but can't be found by the shop). When things are quiet for a long time, my first assumption is that my radios are having trouble again.

Henning said:
Yeah, if it's been a while I check in with "...am I still on with ya?" Never seems to bother anyone, sometimes spawns a conversation, occasionally it catches an 'oops, sorry, forgot you there' and a handoff. I've never hesitated to call ATC with a question.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what happened on this flight. He asked how the flight was going, what I was planning to do at the destination, etc. Felt strange to have a conversation over the frequency as I'd been trained for brevity. Neither of us could figure out why it was so quiet on such a nice weekend day, though.
 
Yea, I don't like silence either....
 
mjburian said:
After reading Oliver's post on how to go off frequency to contact FSS (http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78486) I was reminded of a question I had (based on a flight last fall) that I've forgotten to ask.

On the flight in question, I was flying along fat, dumb and happy at noon on a Saturday when I realized that it's been REALLY quiet on the radio. For a while. (Felt like 20 mins since the last time I'd heard a transmission.) I feared a radio failure or some other issue with the OLD radios in the plane I fly, but checked in with Approach and there were no issues. According to the controller, he couldn't remember a time things had been that quiet recently. So now I'll ask:

How long will you let the radio be silent, assuming you're flying either IFR or VFR flight following, before checking in to verify radio contact?
Click to expand...

This happened to me twice...

My wife and I were on an IFR / SFR flight plan going from N14 in NJ to Leesburg (KJYO) on the northwest side of the DC SFR area. I was in the thick of the SFR at night enjoying the smooth flight with soft music playing in our Bose A20's when my wife commented,

"I haven't heard anyone on the radio in a while."

"Huh? Oh...yea...it is really quiet."

"Are sure that thing is working?"

"Ah...yea, it's fine...it's always quiet at night."

Then I began to noodle more carefully what she said and took note that it WAS indeed quiet, and has been for a while.

Without her noticing I checked the frequency, the audio panel selections and then I had a memory of doing something that I ALWAYS admonish my students NEVER to do...I remembered that I was listening to weather on Comm2 and turned down Comm1's volume because there was enough chatter to distract me.

Trying to be discrete I reached over and checked the volume knob. I attempted to turn it counter-clockwise and it was against the stop! ^%$#!!!

I turn it back up and don't hear anything at the moment and I key the mic and ask...

"Ahhh, Washington Center...this is 8207G...just checking in...it's been really quiet and want to know if I'm still with you."

"8207G, Washington Center...we've been trying to get a hold of you for the last 15 minutes...what's going on?"

"Gee, I don't know, ah...but I'm right here and with you now." :dunno:

"We been trying to raise you on every frequency in the area...are you familiar with the Guard Frequency?"

"Ah...yea...121.5..."

"Is your radio ok now?"

"...umm...yea...loud and clear."

I looked sheepishly over at my wife :( who was glaring at me with eye-daggers.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?! I TOLD YOU THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG...YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME!!" :incazzato:

-------------

What I teach students is, if they are listening to ASOS on the ground during the pre-takeoff checks and the chatter on the CTAF is bothering them...I instruct them to NOT turn down the CTAF...I tell them to TURN IT OFF COMPLETELY. This way there will never be a chance of them thinking they are on the radio, when they are not. There will be no side-tone to confuse the issue.

I only wish I would take my own advice. :mad2:

Gene Wentzel - CFII
 
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mjburian said:
Thanks for the responses, guys. I realize that part of my fear is probably related to losing comms intermittently while in IMC, so I suspect there's a gremlin in the radios somewhere (but can't be found by the shop). When things are quiet for a long time, my first assumption is that my radios are having trouble again.



That's exactly what happened on this flight. He asked how the flight was going, what I was planning to do at the destination, etc. Felt strange to have a conversation over the frequency as I'd been trained for brevity. Neither of us could figure out why it was so quiet on such a nice weekend day, though.
Click to expand...

As you fly more long trips, especially in 'fly over' country, the frequency tends to get less formal. One night/early AM it was just I and a SWA red eye in KC Center's airspace, and he told us jokes all the way across his airspace. Occasionally he'd assign one of us a new frequency and still be there.

Even in busy airspace you will frequently hear them forward scores of games going on. Keeping each individual exchange, the time you stay keyed, brief is a good thing, but it's still possible to have a conversation between other people needing to get calls in.

What you don't want to do is block the frequency for extended times, especially with "ummmmmm" and "ahhhhhhh".
 
Twenty-some years ago I was on a UAL B-727 from Denver to Burbank. I had the headphones on, listening to the ol' "Channel 9" (audio piped in from ship's comms).

It occurred to me that I hadn't heard anything for quite a while. I started to wonder if the crew had shut off the audio feed. Then I heard this exchange, starting with calls by the crew of my flight:

UA xxx: Denver Center, United xxx.

[pause]

UA xxx: Denver Center, United xxx ... ?

[pause]

UA xxx: Grand Junction Tower, United xxx ...

GJT: United xxx, Grand Junction Tower, stand by ... Cessna yyy, runway 29 cleared to land. Cherokee zzz, number two, follow the Cessna on base. United calling Grand Junction, go ahead.

UA xxx: Uhh, Grand Junction, United xxx ... um, do you happen to have the frequency for Denver Center for this sector?
​

:redface:
 
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Twenty minutes where I fly would be too long not to hear something ....
 
15-20 minutes seems to be the max for most people. Had it happen a couple times on night flights back to destin.

" Approach, xxx still with ya"

Will normally spawn a conversation or at least reassure me things are a-ok.
 
mjburian said:
After reading Oliver's post on how to go off frequency to contact FSS (http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78486) I was reminded of a question I had (based on a flight last fall) that I've forgotten to ask.

On the flight in question, I was flying along fat, dumb and happy at noon on a Saturday when I realized that it's been REALLY quiet on the radio. For a while. (Felt like 20 mins since the last time I'd heard a transmission.) I feared a radio failure or some other issue with the OLD radios in the plane I fly, but checked in with Approach and there were no issues. According to the controller, he couldn't remember a time things had been that quiet recently. So now I'll ask:

How long will you let the radio be silent, assuming you're flying either IFR or VFR flight following, before checking in to verify radio contact?
Click to expand...

Flying across the country in the middle of the night I have on occasion asked for an altimeter setting to comply with 91.121. I guess that makes the answer "100 miles."

Bob Gardner
 
Flying on the east/west coast...10 minutes

Over Nebraska, Oklahoma...30 minutes

Usually will just key the mic and say, "radio check"
 
James331 said:
15-20 min of nothing and I'll hit the squelch then do a radio check.
Click to expand...


Same, but I will hold my finger over the PTT, because the moment that I ask if they are still there, is when they are trying to communicate with someone.
 
I've done the "mighty quiet" thing which always generates a response...
 
Done it twice. Went about 30 minutes w Ft. Polk, LA appch on a Sunday trip from MS to TX. Another on a Sunday run from Galveston to Falfurrias. Went about 20 minutes there before the "radio check". If I remember correctly, both ATC responses commented on the unusual silence.
 
Ah ol' Midwest flying! Coming out of STL headed south late at night after a cardinal playoff game it's not uncommon to have a conversation about the game with Memphis center.
 
A few months ago over ND I realized it had been quiet for a bit. I tried a call and got nothing so figured he'd/we'd missed a handoff. Used the Nearest feature on the 430 to find the ARTCC freq nearest and tried again. He was apologetic for missing our handoff and thanked me for catching it. 15-20 min is usually my limit before checking in.
 
Glad to hear I'm not alone on this. I half expected most responded to be along the lines of "If you don't have anything to say, don't talk." It's an eerie feeling to not know whether it's really quiet or if your radio decided this was the day to quit working.

Thanks for the insights!
 
mjburian said:
Glad to hear I'm not alone on this. I half expected most responded to be along the lines of "If you don't have anything to say, don't talk." It's an eerie feeling to not know whether it's really quiet or if your radio decided this was the day to quit working.

Thanks for the insights!
Click to expand...

Remember, if the radio is really quite, it's either broke, or the controller is bored too, either way a call won't hurt.:D
 
I flew from my home airport KGTU just north of Austin, TX over to KTME in west Houston on Christmas Eve night to pick up my Mom and on Christmas Day evening to drop her off. Both flights were at dark but not too late. Left right around 6:30 and got back a couple hours later (about a 45 minute flight). There was very light traffic on the radio and I was on with both Austin and Houston approach. On the Xmas Day flight Austin approach handed me off and I checked in with Houston. About 15 minutes later and with NO radio calls...like completely silent...the controller came on and said, "13W have I checked in with you yet?". HAHA didn't even remember it had been so long. I figured they were all around yapping and such. It was dead.

It was nice though...lot's of Merry Christmases being passed around. It was a fun night to fly.
 
If nothing else, you should be tuning in the closest weather on your course, then you will never have to guess if the radio is working.
 
Shepherd said:
If nothing else, you should be tuning in the closest weather on your course, then you will never have to guess if the radio is working.
Click to expand...

But, you'll still have to guess if you passed out of range or missed a handoff.

It's rude to sneak off frequency anyway, so you're either testing with Center or testing the wrong radio.
 
If you're 15 minutes without hearing anything on the radio, the odds of you stepping on someone else with a Comm Check is just about nil, so say hi to the controller.
 
I did have an electrical failure and BHM told me my transponder was intermittent so When he handed me to HSV he told me to tell them my location. HSV said they could see me and not to make so many calls. After they gave me straight in to 36R, I just flew the plane. I was on about a three mile final when I picked up my handheld and called the tower. You can't tell when a KX-170 has lost power. They were happy to hear from me and gave me clear to land. I now have a digital radio for COMM 1.
 
mjburian said:
Glad to hear I'm not alone on this. I half expected most responded to be along the lines of "If you don't have anything to say, don't talk." It's an eerie feeling to not know whether it's really quiet or if your radio decided this was the day to quit working.

Thanks for the insights!
Click to expand...


....but don't ignore 91.121.

Bob Gardner
 
Relatively long lapses between communications happen quite frequently, most often during late night hours. Whenever I think it might have been a little too long since I last heard anyone speak I simply ask ATC if they're still awake. By the way, all of you guys are using your #2 com to monitor 121.5 regardless of whether you're VFR or IFR right?
 
If it's been a while, I'll check the squelch to make sure I haven't turned the volume down. If I still don't hear anything for a while after that, I might ask for an altimeter setting. At least that's a useful request :)

Bigger question is what to do when the frequency is busy and you think you should have gotten a frequency change. Usually I'll pipe up if I know from experience I'm past the point I get handed off to another facility, or if the controller's signal is getting usually weak.
 
coloradobluesky said:
I once had Chicago Center say to me "Tell me about your plane" ???
Click to expand...


I got that once early one morning while eastbound over SD .. while headed to OSH in my deathtrap...

ATC : So, Tell me about your experimental.....

Me : You are not going to believe me....

We must have chatted for 15 minutes before he had to vector a fighter back to Ellworth AFB..
 
It depends on where I'm flying. When I'm VFR and Class E (which is most of the time), I'd just assume change to the local CTAF and enjoy the quiet. If I'm in Class C I'm established with ATC, so I'd probably be concerned after 15 minutes or so.
 
frfly172 said:
Untill I think there should be a freq change to another controller . When transiting different airspace.
Click to expand...

^^^^This. I have had them forget about me, and then get out radio distance from them, so I always make sure I have the next frequency listed in my flight plan. So, I do check in when it seems that it is getting close to a time for transistion.
 
Two times in the past we were "forgotten". Everyone else was getting handed off except us. So I accidentally bumped into the ident button. Controller gave us a frequency change about 5 seconds later.
 
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