cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/17874565

Air(ule)line Radio Etiquette

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dreamdropsystem posts:
[an image with text that reads: “GROUP MEOWING STARTS IN 10 MINUTES”, the text is surrounded by large warning symbols]
ya’ll who’s up for group meowing

narwhalsarefallBadg replies:
[screenshot of tags reading: “#commercial airline pilots on the emergency frequency #←prev tags #would LOVE to know more about that lmao”]
the aircraft emergency frequency (known as GUARD in the usa) is SUPPOSED to be used for emergencies. the frequency is 121.5 mhz. it is for all international air distress and emergencies and stuff (theres a different one for military) however. for some goddamn reason. for at least the past ten years (maybe more) there has been meowing. random pilots going “meowww!” on the emergency frequency. this is often followed by at least 8 different people yelling “GUARRRRD” “YOUR ON GUARD” “STOP FUCKING MEOWING” and at least 3 others meowing also.
i have a radio and often tune into this frequency if i want to hear local airplane pilots/control tower operators act like absolute fools.
here’s some operators using GUARD to try to contact a flight that went missing (they found them) and just the absolute nonsense, the one guy spamming caribbean music, the voice changer, and the meowing and guard police are so fucking funny. GUARD is always doing shit like this. its great. (note that he isnt on the frequency until 1:30, so the other shit is just normal coworker conversations. “who the fuck eats honeydew” is just two coworkers not abusing resources).
usually radio etiquette is a lot more professional for these guys but mistakes do happen. people tend to be pretty quick on the jokes tho. if you ever want to listen to the funniest shit ever a lot of amateur radio operators upload the funniest dialogue they catch on youtube pretty often.

my-life-is-a-sidequest replies:
@antifatemptress is this true?

antifatemptress replies:
Yes, unfortunately this is true. Pilots are children. And since we’re all legally obligated to monitor guard at all times when able, these guys know they always have an audience. Things I’ve also heard on guard include:

  • someone barking, which was nice variety and very much appreciated to see more canine representation in my field

  • airline captains making full cabin announcements, not realizing they were transmitting, followed by several other pilots asking questions as if they were in the cabin

  • airline captain making about half a cabin announcement before stopping cold, pausing for about 3 seconds, and mumbling “…I am so fucking sorry,” then presumably making the announcement again to his actual cabin

  • two pilots for different airlines speaking Italian to each other (one of these was actually my captain, the other guy was a friend from his last job)

  • pilot doing a radio shockjock voice saying “aaalrighty folks you’re listening to one-twenty-one-point-five the GUARRRRRRD, bringing you the lastest in aviation disasters, mishaps, and tragedieesss! Up next, four more hours of nonstop cat soundssssss!”

[end of transcript]

  • Dagwood222@lemm.eeEnglish
    44·
    2 months ago

    Not me. I swear.

    Local EMS agency. Everyone is supposed top monitor the radio at all times. A unit gets assigned to a minor injury at City Hall. The unit goes on an on-air rant about how the Mayor is a giant asshole, the city is corrupt, and he is going to kick some asses when he gets to City Hall. Then he suddenly says “Oops, did I leave the radio on?”

  • DaddleDew@lemmy.worldEnglish
    39·
    2 months ago

    Channel 16 is the Naval equivalent. In North America you will occasionally hear two idiots using it to have a conversation here and there until the Coast guard dispatcher joins in and asks them what their emergency is (which usually promptly shuts them up)

    In a place like the Indian Ocean however, it is non-stop chaos. It is the audio version of an unmoderated public chatroom and sounds exactly how you’d expect.

  • Tarkcanis@lemmy.worldEnglish
    18·
    2 months ago

    Interesting, this is super common on the railway too. I guess it’s just a radio thing.

      • SuspiciousCatThing@pawb.socialEnglish
        5·
        2 months ago

        I wonder if ancient civilizations experienced this as well? Like a courier shows up with a scroll that just says “meow” with a doodle of a cat.

      • /home/pineapplelover@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        It’s not really that anonymous though. I was looking into it and you can trace a radio signal back to someone’s home. But in the sense that it isn’t transmitting your phone and name I guess it’s kinda anonymous, but then you have to state your call sign which might be traceable.

        Edit: I don’t even have a ham license so everything I said is based on very superficial knowledge coming out of my ass.

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    2 months ago

    Isn’t there a pretty big fine for fucking around on that frequency?

    Or is it one of those things that it’s not actually enforceable

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.worldEnglish
        9·
        2 months ago

        The same way the FCC prosecutes other RF violations

        Which come to think of it, there isn’t really a way for them to do that unless it’s a stationary high powered source

        • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
          8·
          2 months ago

          Go look at Cisco DNA Spaces if you’re not sure how to triangulate a wifi signal from a recording and want an idea as to how they can get positional data to match up against a transponder position log using similar tech.

          DNA Spaces is creepy. Yes, your IT people can see you’re in the company loo reading this right now.

        • InverseParallax@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          2 months ago

          Exactly, I’m sure there are egregious examples, or if its reported by a pissed off copilot, maybe if there’s an accident investigation, but otherwise they’re the ultimate pirate radio.