a Question about the "chat channel" - 123.45

[Dish]

Morning lads,

I have a question and i'm very interested to see the responses and hear opinions?? Is the 123.45 chat channel a mechanism for talking the biggest load of S***, telling long winded jokes, yakking about your sore big toe and any other irrelevant rubbish you can think of OR is it an a FAR LESS FORMAL alternative frequency to the Special Rules Frequency ((124.80) etc wherever you are) useful for confirming pertinent info on your flight, pointing out something to your flying buddy or confirming something that you might not know ?? Im just asking and interested to know the general consensus.??

Reason I ask is that on my trip yesterday, i switched to chat to ask one of my flying companions something.... Couldnt get a word in edgeways for like twenty minutes as some okes were yakking about everything under the sun as if it was a telephone conversation?? On an on they went about trival stuff and on and on...

Thats cool - if thats what the channel is designed for then fantastic - I will make another arrangement because I prefer to fly along a little more quitely chatting to my pax or taking in the sights rather than hear okes chatting constantly . -

Comments ??

[Tailspin]

Hi Dish

Normally 123.45 is the general Chat frequency but i find it is normally conjested. I pre-arrange a freq with whoever i am flying with as a chat freq - much easier !

[Wargames]

I my 2 cent opinion, chat is about relaying info about where to go and what to do if uncertain with your buddies.

If you want to tell a joke or ask where to braai or that stuff, you can use 123,45 to ask where the nearest airfield is, to make full stop, have a leak, and tell the joke.

[Dish]

Yep - thats exactly my understanding of it.... say whats relevant say a quick hi and perhaps have a little laugh with your mates, but try and remember that the channel is also extremely public and might need/want to be used by okes talking about a specific flight - talk C**P at the field that you land at over coffee and get airborne again... dont hog the chat channel because its a "chat" channel. its not, its just more convenient that exchanging info on 124.80 (for example)

I dont know - thats also just my 2 c - but in the future i will be using an alternative to 123.45

[Morph]

I know guys who use 124.8 for this, drives me nuts

yeah if 123.45 is congested, use another open frequency, perhaps listen in first, or pre-decide whatever is safe and unused for your area. Then tell the guys "go 124decimal9", whatever.

[AndyG]

130.35?

[RV4ker (RIP)]

"chat" freq? What am i missing?

[Dish]

There is a frequency outside the norm - 123.45 that one can switch to to "chat" - not formal, not part of any special rules or other. So guys switch to that to have a little chat to each other if for example flying in formation somewhere. Nice to switch over and confirm with your mate runway numbers or other related info (or anything for that matter) cept when okes hog the thing... then it just becomes noise clutter in your headphones

[nicow]

We use 123.45 for chatting,and 124.8 for flying info.If you don't like it,use another channel...

[Dish]

Thats exactly why i asked the question Nicow - chat away

[RV4ker (RIP)]

I know a couple folks who fly single seaters and they chat like most do on the intercom on 123.45. Some folks allocate own freq for this. In past I have used 124.80 especially when low level in the sticks (near Moerlands pan we were on air for 4 hrs and heard only 1 other broadcast....)

If you need to check something "quick" i usually just use 124.80. If plenty traffic then go 123.45 or other "numbers Freq"....

[Dish]

Its not a trainsmash and im certainly not interested in turning this into a little avcom squabble. Trust me the okes who want to go and tell jokes and yak about whatever they want are most welcome to do so... - - I was merely interested in the general opinions of my fellow flyers, same as I dont want to fly with an Ipod, like to hear that engine --- to each his own

[Big-D]

I was about to tell you a cracker of a joke yesterday on chat frequency Dish - Just as well I did'nt

Joking mate, good flight yesterday - I agree, was kinda hard letting you know we are landing for fuel with kaptein Sonskyn and his mate rapping like Eminem on chat frequency

Bottom line - 123.45 gets crowded - Next time we will use another frequency

D

[Dish]

you dont know any crackers jokes ??

[RV4ker (RIP)]