Summary: We're jammin': I wanna jam it wid you. We're jammin', jammin', And I hope you like jammin', too. Jammin', Bob Marley Is this a jar of jelly of a jar of jam? Either way, in the context of this post, it's a lousy pun. I wish jamming on the aircraft radio was as fun and upbeat as Bob Marley's song. But it isn't. When the radio gets jammed, it you puts you in a heck of a jam. How are you going to get through to ATC, especially when it's absolutely critical to make contact? The causes, and the solution to radio jamming, in this week's show. Which of the following is correct? After landing you are expected to: A. Pop a wheelie with your airplane. B. Stop on the runway and break out the picnic basket for a leisurely lunch in the sunshine? C. Get off of the runway at the first available exit. The answer might seem obvious, but it isn't. You have options. We'll cover all of them this week. Of course, if those questions aren't enough for you, I'll wing you in the noggin' with our Question of the Week. Strap in and fire it up. We're about to switch on the static and jam your mp3 player. I'm not kidding. Show Notes: The question is not what is causing jamming of your aircraft radio, it's who is causing jamming of your aircraft radio. If it's you, it's time to do a little trouble-shooting, and right quick. Are your intentional transmissions blocking other pilots from speaking? Or, is your microphone button stuck in the transmit position? I've got the answers and the solutions. After landing, when slowed to a safe taxi speed, ATC expects you to turn off of the landing runway using the next available taxiway. Never turn off before you are slow enough to do so safely, no matter the circumstances. If Tower tries to push you off of the runway before you are ready, get an amended clearance. You can use any runway as a taxiway if you receive authorization from Tower to do so. Question of the Week You are 10 miles outside of Class D airspace. You are planning to enter the airport traffic pattern for landing. You switch to the control tower's frequency, but just as you are about to transmit, you hear the noise of an aircraft interior playing continuously through your aircraft's speaker. It sounds like someone is holding down the transmit key of their microphone. You wait a minute, but the problem continues and there's no way of knowing how long it is going to last. You really need to land at this airport, preferring not to divert elsewhere. What do you do? When you think you know the answer to that question, click this link to take you to page with the complete answer as well as an explanation and a plan for coping with a radio frequency that is being jammed.
