An ATC question

[wenimbig]

So I have the privelage of spending my mornings and afternoons stuck in road traffic while driving either side of the Kingsford Smith International Airport. Because I have nothing better going on at the time, I listen in to the tower chatter on LiveATC.

 

Most of the transmissions between tower and pilots is fine. There have been instances where not one word has been discernable over the static. I am definately not an ATC nor a pilot (damnit!), but I would like to know if there has ever been a case where ATC has stopped a plane from taking off because the quality of transmission is so poor? I realise that if the radio is not working at all (total falure) the aircraft would would not be allowed to fly. Can an ATC make that type of call???

 

Thanks

 

Shawn

 

 

[davebutler]

At an airport like Brisbane or any controlled airport a radio is mandatory. This being the case if he cannot understand you due to poor transmisson quality then your radio is considered unserviceable. In that case yes he could stop you.

 

 

[Tomo]

but I would like to know if there has ever been a case where ATC has stopped a plane from taking off because the quality of transmission is so poor? I realise that if the radio is not working at all (total falure) the aircraft would would not be allowed to fly. Can an ATC make that type of call???Thanks

 

Shawn

I'm no expert, and Dave has covered it already. But at a controlled airport, you can't do a great deal without permission, so if either of the radio users aren't readable it's rather hard to get that across. Just the other day an aircraft on Center (Bris) had radio problems, and was trying to rectify it, trying various radios (they have multiple) to try and get the noise out of it - though he had no joy. He had no choice but to continue as he was already en-route, and you could read him just really quite badly, and you knew it was that aircraft every time he called!

 

If you were already on the ground, it would be prudent not to go anywhere until the problem was fixed.

 

That doesn't really answer your question whether ATC can make the call to stop you, but I think it would be a joint effort personally, between ATC and pilot discretion.

 

 

[Ultralights]

it the problem with the aircraft radio, or the transmission from LIVE atc? are you using a frequency scanner? or is it received via internet?

 

 

[wenimbig]

Hi Ultralights.

 

I do not have a radio so I am using Liveatc app. The reason why I ask is that 98% of transmissions are perfect, 1.5% I struggle to understand (but I am not used to radio work) but the remaining .5% are just covered with static / interference. Its not a serious problem, but I was just curious to know if any ATC has had the issue.

 

Thanks for the responses.

 

 

[deltacharlie]

So I have the privelage of spending my mornings and afternoons stuck in road traffic while driving either side of the Kingsford Smith International Airport. Because I have nothing better going on at the time, I listen in to the tower chatter on LiveATC.Most of the transmissions between tower and pilots is fine. There have been instances where not one word has been discernable over the static. I am definately not an ATC nor a pilot (damnit!), but I would like to know if there has ever been a case where ATC has stopped a plane from taking off because the quality of transmission is so poor? I realise that if the radio is not working at all (total falure) the aircraft would would not be allowed to fly. Can an ATC make that type of call???

Thanks

 

Shawn

I once heard ATC deny take-off clearance at YSBK because of unreadable transmissions from an aircraft. I have also had to cancel a lesson in a C152 because the radio was not up to scratch.

 

 

[facthunter]

It would not be unexpected to be required to "get it fixed", if it is below par. Nev

 

 

[SOS]

If a particular operation requires that "continuous 2-way communications" be maintained with ATS .... then, unless you can comply, you can't operate. All operations out of a Capital City airport would come under that scenario. As would all IFR operations.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Hi Ultralights.I do not have a radio so I am using Liveatc app. The reason why I ask is that 98% of transmissions are perfect, 1.5% I struggle to understand (but I am not used to radio work) but the remaining .5% are just covered with static / interference. Its not a serious problem, but I was just curious to know if any ATC has had the issue.

Thanks for the responses.

Im pretty sure the way LiveATC works is that someone on the ground has a radio whose output is digitised and sent via a personal internet connection to Live ATC. Poor reception at that individual radio site doesnt translate to poor reception at the ATC facility, their radios are probablyorders of magnitude more expensive and are coupled with antenna's up to the task. Good examples of that can often be heard when Aircraft are on the ground, range in that case is much reduced, except for ATC who are at the same ground location.....hopefully

Andy

 

 

[kgwilson]

I think the static may be an over transmission when one operator presses the push to talk before the previous operator has released the button.