Radio talk in the UK

"Paul" wrote in message
...
I am training for my PPL in the UK at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, I
have
passed the 55 hour mark which includes my Qualifying X-Country. Not long
to
go now.... anyway, back to the subject of my posting.
I have been taught by my instructor(s) to make the call something like
this:
G-ABCD: Liverpool Tower, this is G-ABCD at Kilo with information Alpha QNH
1234, QFE 1234 request Taxi ... However,
When re-entering the Liverpool zone (or any other FIR), the first call is
usually (Station, callsign)
i.e. G-ABCD: Liverpool Approach, this is G-ABCD
Approach: G-ABCD, Pass your message

I find that the easiest way to proceed, regardless of whether you're on the
apron or rejoining the, is to listen for a quiet spot and then simply call
"Liverpool Tower, G-ABCD" and wait to be asked to pass your message. There's
nothing worse (and more pointless) than spouting a load of extra stuff only
to find out that you hit the "transmit" button at the same time as someone
else, so I find it best to keep it short until you know he's listening to
you. Remember, of course, that you should always use your full callsign
until the controller uses an abbreviated version, e.g. G-CD; it's not all
that often that you come across another G-CD or whatever, and so nine times
out of ten you end up abbreviating, but it's a good thing to remember in
case, like me, the first time you have to start using the entire callsign is
your final skill test!

Couple of extra points, though.

First, when I've just started up, I do tend to append the words "radio check
please" to my first greeting to the tower, just to get an idea of whether
the radio's in shape (okay, it's not a brilliant measure, but if I'm sat
outside my normal hangar I expect to hear "readability five", and if he says
"readability one" it flags a potential issue). At Norwich they're pretty
good and they give you the readability even if you don't bother asking, but
at some places you need to ask.

Secondly, one the controller had acknowledged my existence, I wouldn't
bother reading both the QNH and the QFE. Generally the ATIS gives the QNH,
and so I'd read that out; if I was staying in the circuit (which he'd know
because I told him when I booked out) he would inform me of the current QFE,
which I would acknowledge on receipt, and if he didn't tell me then I'd ask
him.

Dave