Let me think. If my radio died and all I had was a handheld I would
really want to be heard... even with this tiny antenna.
Then use AM on your handheld.

That would be pointless if FM was a standard, wouldn't it ?

I was wondering about gliders not long ago. I take it they don't have
radios?

I flew in two clubs. In one radios were the norm and downwind calls
were expected. In the other one, most (if not all) training gliders had
no radios at all.

Bartek