.
.
.
Smiles Martin
.
.
Unfortunately she did not say, or know, how often these frequencies are/were used.
Her text** continued with this interesting insight, however-
.
.
"..... the pilots must deal with the limitations of current HF communications using procedural guidelines. Aircraft flying from New Zealand are required to establish radio communications with McMurdo by the time they reach the "point of safe return," -- halfway ( ~1000 miles)"
.
The old Point of No Return"-- a place where just beyond its as good to keep going as to turn around in an emergency
.
That last, the "Point of No Return" always sends a shiver up my back. I wonder how many (less flight crew members) have ever experienced a "No Return" scenario, or know what it means ? (Why there's that description)
.
A hand went up here !!
.
.
It was over the middle of the Far North, a hour from our last airfield; a Dornier turboprop- when the co-pilot said
.
"Sorry people, but we are about to reach the Point of No Return, and we've an engine about to fail"
.
Okay, that's not what I wanted to hear, staring down at a tundra and stunt'd spruce barren horizon.
The plane shortly did a dramatic bank, and turn'd about 180 degrees. About 15 minutes later the right engine was 'feather'd" (the correct term for it?) and we began to loose altitude. The lower air was very choppy and things began to bounce a lot- adds to any flight's ambience, No ?
.
"We'll be okay" said the co-pilot, "but everyone review the ditching protocols"
.
And after what seemed an eternity, we limped back to were we had set out from hours earlier.
.
.
What I started out to do was add to that list of frequencies -- the one we talked to the Russians on-- 5408 KHz.
Right outside of the ham 60 metre band.
.
.
Lauri
.
.
_____________________________________________
.
**There is Internet down there- not much, like 15Mbs shared by everybody-
I'll only say this limited amount here - its relayed by microwave to a northern island that can see a geo-stat satellite.
She sent her texts via an LEO, however.
.
.
.