VHF Airband Radio Syllabus and Textbook Version number 20151201 www.hgfa.asn.au Page 1 About this publication This guide is produced by the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (HGFA) for the information of HGFA members. If you want more information or copies of this guide please contact the HGFA office. Disclaimer The information contained in this operations manual is presented in good faith with the intention of: (a) promoting safety in the sports of hang gliding, paragliding and weightshift microlighting; (b) Providing course material for participants in these sports; and As far as possible, this manual represents the best information available at the time of publication. Note that hang gliding, paragliding and microlighting are considered adventure sports which may expose the participant to a higher level of risk, injury, or death compared to other low risk sports. Participants are reminded that it their responsibility to assess if the level of risk is acceptable to themselves. Copyright This publication is copyright (2015) to the Hang Gliding Federation of Australia. Some sections of this publication has used (with permission) text from the following organizations: - The Australian Parachute Federation. The Gliding federation of Australia. Recreational Aviation Australia. Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Australian Balloon Federation. Contact the HGFA Hang Gliding Federation of Australia 4C/ 60 Keilor Park Drive, Keilor East, Vic 3033 Phone: 03 9336 7155 ABN: 15 276 389 269 www.hgfa.asn.au Page 2 Table of contents ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1 VHF Airband Radio Syllabus and Textbook _____________________________________________________________________________1 Version number ______________________________________________________________________________________________1 About this publication _________________________________________________________________________________________2 Disclaimer __________________________________________________________________________________________________2 Copyright ___________________________________________________________________________________________________2 Contact the HGFA ____________________________________________________________________________________________2 Table of contents_____________________________________________________________________________________________3 Introduction_________________________________________________________________________________________________5 Airband radio ________________________________________________________________________________________________5 VHF Radio operators endorsement syllabus _______________________________________________________________________5 VHF Airband Radio Operator Endorsement (VHF AROE) Syllabus ___________________________________________________________5 Assessment _________________________________________________________________________________________________9 Textbook / Manual _________________________________________________________________________________________ 10 2.1.1 Meets the English language to Aviation English language standard (AEL). _________________________________________ 10 2.1.2 Recall the phonetic alphabet and the method of transmitting numerals. __________________________________________ 10 2.1.3 Recall the correct use of aircraft call-signs. __________________________________________________________________ 11 2.1.4 State standard radio procedures for outside controlled airspace (OCTA). _________________________________________ 12 2.1.5 State how transmission of time is conducted. _______________________________________________________________ 12 2.1.6 State how to listen to the radio. __________________________________________________________________________ 13 2.1.7 State how to establish and maintain communications. ________________________________________________________ 14 2.1.8 State the hazards of clipped transmissions and the consequences. ______________________________________________ 14 2.1.9 Demonstrate correct procedure for the conduct of a routine pre-flight test of an aircraft radio-telephone, including the following: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15 (a) use of radio transmit and receive selector switches; ____________________________________________________________ 15 (b) turning radio on; ________________________________________________________________________________________ 15 (c) selecting correct frequencies; ______________________________________________________________________________ 15 (d) use of squelch control; ___________________________________________________________________________________ 15 (e) selection of radio navigation equipment; _____________________________________________________________________ 15 (f) correct use of a microphone; _______________________________________________________________________________ 15 (g) use of intercom and public address system; ___________________________________________________________________ 15 (h) voice activated systems. __________________________________________________________________________________ 15 2.1.10 Describe the correct procedure for routine fault finding and correction. _________________________________________ 16 2.1.11 State the standard phraseology to be used to report aircraft positions in the circuit and the required calls for local flights. 16 2.1.12 State the responsibilities of an aeronautical radio operator in relation to the following: ____________________________ 19 (a) secrecy of communications; _______________________________________________________________________________ 19 (b) unauthorised transmissions. _______________________________________________________________________________ 19 2.1.13 Describe the function of each of the following components of an aeronautical radio system: ________________________ 20 (a) power source/battery switch; ______________________________________________________________________________ 20 (b) radio master; ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (c) fuses and circuit breakers; _________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (d) microphone; ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (e) transmitter; ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (f) receiver; _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (g) antenna; _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 (h) headphones and speaker. _________________________________________________________________________________ 20 2.1.14 Describe the difference between a distress and an emergency message and the standard phrases used in both cases. ____ 21 2.1.15 Accurately extract radio failure procedures from ERSA._______________________________________________________ 22 2.1.16 In relation to the use of an aeronautical radiotelephone, describe the controls used to transmit and receive, including audio panel selections ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 22 2.2.1 Describe the basic principles and characteristics of radio waves, wave propagation, transmission and reception for the following: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (a) radio frequency band ranges (MF, HF, VHF, UHF); ______________________________________________________________ 24 (b) properties of radio waves and the effective range of transmissions; _______________________________________________ 24 (c) propagation of paths of radio waves: ________________________________________________________________________ 24 (i) ground waves; ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (ii) sky waves; _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 www.hgfa.asn.au Page 3 (d) factors affecting the propagation of radio waves and reception: __________________________________________________ 24 (i) terrain;_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (ii) ionosphere; ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (iii) sun spot activity; ________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (iv) interference from electrical equipment; _____________________________________________________________________ 24 (v) thunderstorms; _________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (vi) power attenuation; ______________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (e) radio antennas: _________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (i) characteristics of antennas; ________________________________________________________________________________ 24 (ii) use of antennas. _________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 2.2.2 Describe the limitations of VHF and HF signals and factors affecting quality of reception and range of signal _____________ 28 State the emergency radio procedures for declaring