Chatting while flying and "fingers"

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Given the last discussion of the use of fingers frequencies, I decided to figure out exactly what the laws, regulations, and regulatory bodies are which govern the use of 123.4, 123.45, and 122.75 Mhz.

I put up a page with the gory detail at http://steinmetz.org/peter/flying/FingersFreq.html .

The short version is - there are no frequencies for just chatting about the ballgame in the US and use of fingers for items other than flight test could result in an enforcement action by the FCC (but no known cases); 122.75 Mhz can be used for discussing items related to the flight.

Let's keep it civil folks, lest the lock hammer comes down.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Believe us now?

Nauga,
as assigned

Well, I still haven't heard if he ever attempted to just request a change. But it does seem like it would be difficult.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Good on ya for manning up and admitting that Jim had a legitimate beef. Bravo.

No question he has a legitimate beef. Sounds like he has had it for some time! The practical question for him is just how to fix it?

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Just call your buddy with your mobile phone. Chat all day long and don't bother a sole.

Yes, I find that the bottom of my shoes are almost never bothered by my chatting on my mobile phone :emoji6:

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

Coors Silver Bullet airshow performance, Marysville airport, sometime around 2012.

Any further hints to a source? A search of the FCC enforcement actions in 2012 and 2013 for something in Ohio (like Marysville OH) or California (like Marysville CA) does not yield actions for Coors or likely cases in individual names. Google searches on various terms related to this only turn up the two prior mentions of this incident here on PoA by weirdjim. No other evidence that I can find.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

The fact is, FCC enforcement takes a very long time, even when the culprit is running a fixed base station.

While this is true, I would have expected an enforcement action from 2012 to have shown up by now. There is no good evidence so far that there has been an enforcement action taken by the FCC for the improper use of 123.4 or 123.45 MHz.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

What about FRS radios? In the air I think they'd work over a fair distance. I've used them in cars while traveling in caravans of 3 or 4 vehicles and they work decently over a mile or two. Being UHF, they're pretty much LOS radios, but in the air it wouldn't surprise me to get good comms at 10 miles or more, which might be enough if you're just flying somewhere with a friend in a loose "same sky, same day" formation.

How would those work with a headset? It seems like the noise in the cockpit would be a deterrent to use without a headset.