Really, blocked?

C

Cheezypoof

Well-Known Member
So it seems to happen all the time that a pilot in one of our sectors misses their transmission (or someone legitimately blocks them) and says blocked. Now tonight is the 2nd time in a few days the airplane has been the ONLY airplane on frequency and not to mention in the sector... and said "blocked" instead of their readback. Yeah buddy OK is what we'd like to say, but just curious how many of you are busy on your laptops or having a heated discussion ;) in the center environment and say blocked instead of sorry center I missed that.
 
I hear something blocked almost every day. Keep in mind, up in the air, that frequency is used somewhere else too. Most of the time, it isn't a problem, sometimes, it is.
 
I'm never afraid to ask atc to repeat the last transmission. I don't make execuses, I just ask them to repeat it. It is true that although you may be the only plane, the message sometimes contains static and doesn't always come through clearly on the frequency.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
I hear something blocked almost every day. Keep in mind, up in the air, that frequency is used somewhere else too. Most of the time, it isn't a problem, sometimes, it is.
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Well I used to fly and that's one of the things I thought about, but the time's it has happened have been ~13,000 feet and 16,000 feet. SHOULDN'T be overlap on a non unicom frequency I wouldn't think at low altitudes but I could be completely off.

I was just wondering if anyone is actually lying, and it's a pride issue or easier to say blocked than simply say again

And honestly 99% of the time the airplane just misses the transmission completely, and the second time you say it it's acknowledged no problems.
 
I am 100% sure it was blocked, just like I'm fairly sure his Mode C was on ALT when he took off, but he "recycled" just to make sure... with no further problems after that point.
 
Cheezypoof said:
Well I used to fly and that's one of the things I thought about, but the time's it has happened have been ~13,000 feet and 16,000 feet. SHOULDN'T be overlap on a non unicom frequency I wouldn't think at low altitudes but I could be completely off.
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I fly around 16-18 thousand. We get bleed over for Jackson, Houston and Indy centers as we be bop along into Memphis.
Even when we're the only ones on the frequency and quiet transmissions are regularly blocked by others at 230 or even 380 for that matter.
So yes, at low attitudes high flyers can block the hell out of some frequencies hundreds of miles apart.
Asking to Say It Again is admitting you missed the call, btw.

ClearedToTakeoff said:
I am 100% sure it was blocked, just like I'm fairly sure his Mode C was on ALT when he took off, but he "recycled" just to make sure... with no further problems after that point.
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Right, since ATC equipment funtions at 100% 100% of the time it is always the pilots fault!
 
Just ask "say again" and have him repeat.

Not sure what the big deal is with missing something.
 
Absolutely not!

Aren't you guys down there watching "Pushing Tin" for the umpty-ump time on your portable DVD players when a brother's trying to get a vector around a storm? :)
 
Personally I NEVER say 'blocked'... but for every pilot out there saying blocked there are 5 controllers saying they were on 'the land line'. Oh, you mean talking to your wife on the cell phone?? Yeah okay buddy. ;)
 
Notice the heavy number of people that are spring-loaded to scream "blocked" on the freq, sometimes stepping on one another?

Like the "YUUUUR ON GUAAAAARD!!!!!!!!!! GUAAAARD!" fascists.

"You***WOOOOO**ON GU**WOOOO***ARD! GUARD!"
 
The best is when you get two people legitimitaely blocking each other, then the 3rd party • screaming 'blocked' ironically blocks the next xmission that would have got though.
 
E_Dawg said:
The best is when you get two people legitimitaely blocking each other, then the 3rd party • screaming 'blocked' ironically blocks the next xmission that would have got though.
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Happens all the time.

Best policy is, in my opinion, to shut your trap and let ATC and the aircraft work it out. Worst comes to worse, ATC will call back.
 
Which incidentially has the added bonus that it requires the least possible effort on your part. Win-win-win!
 
Doesn't require that you put down your copy of Esquire magazine in order to key the mic!
 
Cheezypoof said:
So it seems to happen all the time that a pilot in one of our sectors misses their transmission (or someone legitimately blocks them) and says blocked. Now tonight is the 2nd time in a few days the airplane has been the ONLY airplane on frequency and not to mention in the sector... and said "blocked" instead of their readback. Yeah buddy OK is what we'd like to say, but just curious how many of you are busy on your laptops or having a heated discussion ;) in the center environment and say blocked instead of sorry center I missed that.
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Well, maybe he was getting bleed over on that frequency for another location. Happens all the time. I was going somewhere in florida and the atmosphere was right for it, and all we could hear were planes talking to ATL tower. We couldn't hear the tower, but we could hear planes. We had to ask for a different freq because the bleed over was so bad. Basically, you have no idea what happened, so just repeat it and don't get your panties in a wad.
 
Or, maybe he was listening to two different freqs.

I use the term "stepped on". Never heard "blocked".
 
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