Monitoring 121.5

I flew right by the White House and BWI....and didn't have 121.5 up....:eek:

cause I didn't "need" to....but I was talking with Potomac and Pax approach. :D

sometimes I put 121.5 on...but most often there's too much chatter so I just either turn it down or off.
 
Young man there's no need to feel down

I said young man pick yourself off the ground

I said young man 'cause your in a new town



There's no need to be unhappy



Young man there's a thing you can do

I said young man, when you're able to do

You can listen there and I'm sure you will find



Many ways to have a good time.

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5



They have everything For young men to enjoy.

You can chat with all of the boys.

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5



It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

You can say “You’re on guard”

You can hear the response!

You can do whatever you feel.



Young man, Are you listening to me

I said, young man, what do you want to be

I said, young man, you can make real your dreams



but you've got to know this one thing.

No man, does it all by himself

I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf



And just go there, tune to 1 2 1 5

I'm sure they can help you today

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5



It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

They have everything for young men to enjoy.

You can chat with all the boys.



It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

You can say “You’re on guard”

You can hear the response!

You can do whatever you feel.



You can do whatever you feel.

Young Man, I was once in your shoes

I said, I was down and out with the blues



I felt, no man cared if I were alive

I felt the whole world was so jive

That's when someone came up to me

and said young man tune in to the guard

There's a frequency there called the 1 2 1 5

They can start you back on your way.

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

They have everything For young men to enjoy.

You can chat with all of the boys.

1 2 1 5

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

Young man, Young man, there's no need to feel down

Young man, Young man, pick yourself off the ground

1 2 1 5

It's fun to monitor 1 2 1 5

Young Man, Young Man, Are you listening to me

Young Man, Young Man, What do you want to be

1 2 1 5

You hear it on

1 2 1 5

Young Man, Young Man, Does it all by Himself

Young Man, Young Man, Put your Pride on the shelf

1 2 1 5

And tune to the

1 2 1 5

Young Man, Young Man, I was once in your shoes

Young Man, Young Man, I was down with Blues

1 2 1 5
 
kayoh190 said:
Dumb question, but how long has the requirement been around? I learned to fly in the mid 90s, and I don't remember anyone telling me about monitoring guard on the second radio. Of course I was aware of 121.5 as an emergency frequency, but I don't think I knew anything about monitoring it until my CFI days.

To be fair to my original instructor, it's entirely possible she *did* tell me all about this and I just forgot. I'm about as sharp as a basketball. :)
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I don't remember it being mandatory way back when either. My guess is it came about around the time they started giving out intercept procedure handouts and stuff like that. It's a homeland security thing I think.
 
TommyG said:
I don't recall seeing mandatory monitoring during a weather briefeing note. I just ran a briefing and did not see anything mandating it. I can see maybe during a presidential TFR or other high profile.
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Then, read it more carefully, because it's in ALL of them.
 
SaltH2OHokie said:
If I read him correctly, said he monitors frequently, and when able. And when he needs other frequencies, he isn't monitoring. Hardly seems like anyone going through logical contortions to avoid doing something?


*I'm a big fan of monitoring the appropriate frequency having been at the mercy of folks relaying my communications to the Coast Guard once when having some boat trouble more miles from shore than my VHF felt like it could transmit...
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Yup that how I understood the 'Dog.

BTW 'Dog, our airliners only had 2 comm radios too. Maybe others have 3, I dunno.
 
SkyDog58 said:
:yikes:


And believe me, if I saw a fighter pull up next to me, I would switch over to 121.5 pretty damn quickly. I know the drill.
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Aww c'mon 'Dog, just split S that fighter's ass and get down in the dirt! He won't shoot, right? Right?
 
The helicopters they send up to chase you out of the SFRA/FRZ used to have a big sign that said "Tune 121.5" on it that they'd hold up in the door. Now they have a fancy digital signboard.
 
flyingron said:
The helicopters they send up to chase you out of the SFRA/FRZ used to have a big sign that said "Tune 121.5" on it that they'd hold up in the door. Now they have a fancy digital signboard.
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Oh Lord, when Pres Trump discovers that he'll order them to use it for advertising to pay for their costs of operation! o_O
 
SkyDog58 said:
:yikes:

.,,suffice it to say that those who think they must be listening to 121.5 at all times have no grasp on reality.
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A "Straw Man Argument" is one where you exaggerate an opponent's position so as to render it easier to attack.

Since no one on this thread has argued that "listening to 121.5 at all times" is necessary, that's quite the Straw Man you're arguing against!
 
MAKG1 said:
Wrong. It's in the uncategorized NOTAMs. IFR vs VFR doesn't matter.
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My comment was in regard to the statement "read all those NOTAMs in your weather briefing". Not only does one not "read" that briefing (to be pedantic) it also isn't spoken to the caller in that briefing either. Yes, I'm fully aware of the NOTAM, just that prior point was inaccurate.
 
wayne said:
My comment was in regard to the statement "read all those NOTAMs in your weather briefing". Not only does one not "read" that briefing (to be pedantic) it also isn't spoken to the caller in that briefing either. Yes, I'm fully aware of the NOTAM, just that prior point was inaccurate.
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Yes, you have to dig for this one along with the stadium TFR, so-called nuclear power plant (which covers way more than nuc's) NOTAM, and probably some that I am not aware of. I guess the assumption is that they have been around long enough you are already supposed to know.
 
Interesting theoretical scenario illustration and refutation.

What I have heard for real on 121.5 is some guy identify himself as US Airforce while attempting to warn an aircraft away from a VIP TFR. One of those 30 mile VIP TFRs. I was over 100 miles away so I assume the guy calling was airborne.

Fly along fat, deaf, dumb, and happy. Who are you going to blame when you violate any number of possible pre-announced or pop-up TFRs? I monitor 121.5 most of the time when not arriving or departing. Even when on flight following. The folks on the frequence either need help or they are trying to help (ignoring Delta chatter).
 
tawood said:
Matt, you're within receiving distance of Camp Grayling? Ever hear their "shenanigans" on guard? Could it have been someone goofing around? I don't think they train much in the winter, but during the summer, they are constantly on 121.5 being silly (at least I've always assumed it was Camp Grayling...sounding military, always loudest when I fly through the Grayling area, which I do once a week during the summer).
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Hi Tim. I wouldn't think that I was hearing Grayling this weekend, I was down by South Haven at the time. I rarely get north of White Cloud. Next time I go north I'll give it a listen.
 
Matt C said:
Hi Tim. I wouldn't think that I was hearing Grayling this weekend, I was down by South Haven at the time. I rarely get north of White Cloud. Next time I go north I'll give it a listen.
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Yeah, that's probably too far for Grayling...
But when you are more north...It's amusing, to say the least. My son likes it when we fly that way just so that he can listen. My son has always had an interest in the military, and the guys can be very comical, at least comical in a childish way.
 
mscard88 said:
Oh Lord, when Pres Trump discovers that he'll order them to use it for advertising to pay for their costs of operation! o_O
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Yeah. How much is this costing? He goes down there every weekend. That from the we gotta reduce g'vmnt waste dude.
 
luvflyin said:
Yeah. How much is this costing? He goes down there every weekend. That from the we gotta reduce g'vmnt waste dude.
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Running for and promising the moon, and actually being President are totally different things.
 
Interesting. I learned something new this morning and will incorporate it on all future flights.

I use Com2 primarily for weather, so it doesn't do much en-route. Even less with the advent of ADS-B In.

I will begin monitoring 121.5 en-route.
 
mscard88 said:
BTW 'Dog, our airliners only had 2 comm radios too. Maybe others have 3, I dunno.
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Ours has 3, but one of them is being used for the datalink/ACARS. I used to fly for an airline that didn't have ACARS (at the time at least, they might now), and our 2nd radio was used to monitor AIRINC. It was kind of nice not having to listen to the stupid crap that goes on over guard.
 
wayne said:
My comment was in regard to the statement "read all those NOTAMs in your weather briefing". Not only does one not "read" that briefing (to be pedantic) it also isn't spoken to the caller in that briefing either. Yes, I'm fully aware of the NOTAM, just that prior point was inaccurate.
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Your comment was that it wasn't in your weather briefing.

You don't get any FDC NOTAMs in phone briefings. You have to ask for them. And as an IFR pilot, you damn well had better. Things like modified MEAs, chart errors, and approach minima show up there, which can kill you if you don't have them.
 
I have always monitored 121.5. Aside from the requirement that we should monitor it when capable (which typically I am as I fly aircraft with 2 radios and rarely need both radios for other communication or monitoring), it has been beneficial to me. On more than one occasion I have either missed a hand-off or else ATC has forgotten. My guess in some cases is that I've had airplanes with weak radios that might have just not picked up the communication. Because I was monitoring 121.5, someone was able to get ahold of me, be it ATC or another airplane, and get the message. I've also probably heard half a dozen ELTs. They likely were all false alarms, but what if one was real?

I've never understood why people have problems with monitoring 121.5. While there is a good amount of childish traffic on the frequency, it doesn't add anything significant to workload to listen to, and it may very well help you at some point, it sure has helped me.
 
I got my PPL about 2 years ago and honestly don't ever recall hearing or seeing anything regarding myself needing to monitor 121.5. I obviously remembered it was there for me to use, however. There may have been oversight on my part though.

Good thread. Learned something. #2 Com is going to 121.5 next time I go the airport. I will leave it on all the time I'm able.

Thanks
 
It's funny though that so many think the best reason to listen to 121.5 is due to post 9/11 hysteria and its associated security theatre TFRs. I would think the best reason is on the off chance you hear an ELT and can assist in saving the life of a fellow aviatior. But hey, whatever blows up your skirt.
 
SkyDog58 said:
It's funny though that so many think the best reason to listen to 121.5 is due to post 9/11 hysteria and its associated security theatre TFRs. I would think the best reason is on the off chance you hear an ELT and can assist in saving the life of a fellow aviatior. But hey, whatever blows up your skirt.
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That's my #1 reason, and my #2 reason is the fact that it's helped me on more than one occasion.

The potential to save a fellow aviator should be enough for all of us to make an effort to listen, especially as monitoring of 121.5 is decreasing, yet many of us still only have 121.5 transponders.
 
SkyDog58 said:
It's funny though that so many think the best reason to listen to 121.5 is due to post 9/11 hysteria and its associated security theatre TFRs. I would think the best reason is on the off chance you hear an ELT and can assist in saving the life of a fellow aviatior. But hey, whatever blows up your skirt.
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How often has that ever happened? ....and I don't wear skirts....not that there's anything wrong with that. :D
 
Never have monitored in more than 35 years of flying. All my cross countries are IFR so I am in constant ATC contact. With ADS_B out in both planes I fly, I might be inclined to go VFR. If I do that I might keep 121.5 on a listening watch.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
How often has that ever happened? ....and I don't wear skirts....not that there's anything wrong with that. :D
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Now see, I thought you wearing skirts was the reason you wanted all of us to check out your six. ;)

I do not have readily available stats or stories but yes I do believe that a pilot hearing an ELT has resulted in lives saved. Perhaps someone else can offer actual info. I am not in a googling mood.
 
Military radios allow you to monitor Guard on your primary radio while tuned to any frequency. It would be helpful if civilian radios did the same.
 
Cooter said:
Military radios allow you to monitor Guard on your primary radio while tuned to any frequency. It would be helpful if civilian radios did the same.
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Garmin SL-30 has standby monitoring. Many others do as well for both Nav and Com side.

More of people not doing it than devices not being capable.
 
Cooter said:
Military radios allow you to monitor Guard on your primary radio while tuned to any frequency. It would be helpful if civilian radios did the same.
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The SL-30 does. It isn't specific to monitoring 121.5 but it can be set up that way. ATC, CTAF, ATIS or AWOS in one freq slot, 121.5 in the other. Can monitor both or drop the monitor and flip-flop one into primary. The audio panel also allows monitoring both coms so I can monitor 2 frequencies on the SL-30 and talk to folks on the other com. It's a bit of overkill but it is very flexible. I think all the leading audio panels allow monitoring at least 2 coms so its an easy and relatively cheap upgrade for folks. Of course most trainers aren't going to be upgraded so students won't learn to monitor 121.5.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
How often has that ever happened? ....and I don't wear skirts....not that there's anything wrong with that. :D
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If it happens once, that's enough for me.

winrose46 said:
Never have monitored in more than 35 years of flying. All my cross countries are IFR so I am in constant ATC contact. With ADS_B out in both planes I fly, I might be inclined to go VFR. If I do that I might keep 121.5 on a listening watch.
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Most of the time when 121.5 has been useful to me has been when I was on an IFR flight plan.
 
Ravioli said:
Interesting. I learned something new this morning and will incorporate it on all future flights.
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Great!

I was at an FAA Wings seminar on another topic, when the FAA presenter said something like, "It's a good idea to monitor 121.5 whenever you can". I mentioned it was more than a good idea, it was required by NOTAM when able. He said he did not know that and thanked me!

So you're hardly alone. I'd say less than half the pilots I encounter are aware of the NOTAM and what it requires.
 
Here's the bottom line (my version). If you have a second idle radio, here's a couple pluses of doing this simplistic thing.

- if someone crashes, you may hear and report the elt in time to get responders there to save people

- you may help someone declaring an emergency and relay if they are below atc radio range

- you can relay a late freq change to other aircraft getting atc service that can't hear them

- you can tell the AAL plane that can't descend and slow or see the airport that everyone else can that their gate is occupied when they accidentally asked on guard thinking they are on ramp freq
 
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