Roy Smith wrote:
In article ,
Jose wrote:

If you key the mike, does the TX light up? You could go to 121.5 and
use morse code. Clumsy, but possible in a true emergency, so long as
you don't get distracted by it.

OK, all you controller types out there -- what are the odds that anybody on
121.5 would know enough code these days to have a clue what was being sent
(or even recognize it as anything but a bunch of annoying clicking noises).

Not sure they'd recognize morse code, but that doesn't mean that can't
be an effective means of communications. If you were still on the
original approach frequency, the controller might guess who it was
and say:

N5327K if that is you trying to transmit click the mike twice.

and so forth to ask simple questions about what you wanted to do.

The time we lost all electrical but I had effectively a receive-only
handheld radio, they issued turn instructions to us for identification
and to inquire about our intentions.