Bob,
I started flying in 1948 and the choice of frequencies was large
and unfettered here then. In the intervening years, 'aviation' has been
taken over (like so many similar pursuits) by ignorant interfering
dilettantes whose sole purpose appears to be self-aggrandisement. Applying
to these mandarins - in any country - will only be met by a wall of
indifference because it is a big business which ordinary aviators (those who
aviate) couldn't possibly comprehend.
The answer is to ignore them. Where you need to use 123.450, the
practice is not to give the callsign. True aviators are more cognizant of
terse contact than any ground-based kiwi - and the use of radio freqs should
serve them first, others later. These numbers have been squandered in the
past, taken from the true users and become power tools for the hungry. 123.4
and 123.45 later were overwhelmed by bureaucracy during WW II and the
control was lost thereafter. To my knowledge air-to-air frequencies are
promulgated only to military units, the unknown and to those who pay enough.
Try to pass a word of caution to the guy four minutes behind you and see
what a weary tangle the ground-bound weave. I've had traffic agents spend
five minutes correcting and threatening after a 2-second burst
pilot-to-pilot, and THEN repeat the news to the intended recipient for a
further jamming, just to prove what the "correct method" is. It's
"everything through me or nothing".
Just do it.
Ferg
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