Originally Posted by
HarryHolden68
Originally Posted by
Waterhorse
There are well laid out procedures for a no comms situation
In a multi-billion pound industry where communication is vital and misunderstandings have caused fatal accidents, why does ATC still use Analogue radios? Why not move to digital like the rest of the developed world has?
I may have access to a scanner and even when sat in GF at T5, it amazes me how little an ATC has going for them with interference, regional accents and sometimes just the shear volume of communication. Having digital would also negate the interferance from those pesky businessmen turning on their mobile phones as soon as the wheels hit the ground to tell the significant other that they have landed.
Just a thought and I bet there is a very good reason why it has not happened. No idea what it is and why it cannot be overcome though given the size of the prize.
The problem with digital comms is that it is all or nothing. With a marginal signal analogue may still be readable whereas digital may fail completely. There is a similar reason why AM is used rather than FM in that under multiple transmissions a slightly stronger signal will completely mask any weaker signals. This is refered to as the "capture effect".