[MilCom] SARSAT Satellite Monitoring 121.5/243.0 mhz Ends Today!

[Sheldon Daitch]

I asked a B757/767 driver who retired about three months ago from one of 
the major
air carriers re 121.5 monitoring and he said all the airlines were 
supposed to be
doing that monitoring, something since 9/11.

As Ken points out, the flight deck is quite busy on descent, but unless 
that flight
is the only one within, say, a 200-mile radius, there is a great 
probability another
flight is in cruise monitoring 121.5.

73
Sheldon


Ken wrote:
> Lee & the group:
>
> Thanks for your input Lee.
>
> >From a practical area search aspect, this doesn't work very well with high 
> flying aircraft, that easily can pickup a signal 200 miles away -- without a 
> signal strength meter on the radio, it's a very subjective report.  When 
> commercial aircraft are descending, generally that 2nd radio is on the 
> "company" frequency coordinating other aspects.  I've also heard "rumors" 
> that not all commercial airline aircraft continually monitor 121.5 mhz, BUT 
> will respond if ATC asks them to check the frequency.
>
>
> Ken
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lee- KI4NEJ" <ki4nej at gmail.com>
>
>   
>> I disagree with the above paragraph. Air Carrier (US Air, Delta, etc,),
>> Air Taxi (Northwest Airlink, USAir Express, etc) and Air Cargo acft are
>> still mandated by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR's) to monitor 121.5
>> continuously while in flight. If a beacon is heard on 121.5, they must
>> report it to ATC immediately, to include position, altitude when heard
>> and signal strength. We (ATC) then turn that report over to the Rescue
>> Coordination Center (RCC) which is at every Air Route Traffic Control
>> Center (Miami Center, Washington Center, etc).
>>     
>
>   
>