I fly in the Chicago area and sometimes find it awkward on a busy
frequency to break in to tell the controller that I need to check ATIS
at my destination. I've tried listening to both ATIS and ATC at the
same time but have never been able to make that work very well.

I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
concern is that's not always timely.

Any other ideas?

paul kgyy wrote:
> I fly in the Chicago area and sometimes find it awkward on a busy
> frequency to break in to tell the controller that I need to check ATIS
> at my destination. I've tried listening to both ATIS and ATC at the
> same time but have never been able to make that work very well.
>
> I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
> concern is that's not always timely.
>
> Any other ideas?

Pick up ATIS the first time you get handed off within reception range of
ATIS. You've got a little bit of time between signing off with the
previous controller and the next controller expecting you to have signed
in with him. You can even turn down your primary comm radio while you
get the ATIS, since no one will call you until you check in unless you
are really tardy. Just don't forget to turn it back up before transmitting.

Just to piggyback on Ray...turn off the squelch on the radio you want to use
for the ATIS ...you might have to listen to several repetitions to get it
all through the static. Keep a finger on the transfer switch so that you can
kill the ATIS audio when ATC calls your number.

Bob Gardner

"Ray Andraka" > wrote in message
...
> paul kgyy wrote:
>> I fly in the Chicago area and sometimes find it awkward on a busy
>> frequency to break in to tell the controller that I need to check ATIS
>> at my destination. I've tried listening to both ATIS and ATC at the
>> same time but have never been able to make that work very well.
>>
>> I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
>> concern is that's not always timely.
>>
>> Any other ideas?
>
> Pick up ATIS the first time you get handed off within reception range of
> ATIS. You've got a little bit of time between signing off with the
> previous controller and the next controller expecting you to have signed
> in with him. You can even turn down your primary comm radio while you get
> the ATIS, since no one will call you until you check in unless you are
> really tardy. Just don't forget to turn it back up before transmitting.

paul kgyy wrote:

>
> I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
> concern is that's not always timely.
>
A METAR has a timestamp.

A METAR however is NOT a subsitute for the ATIS.

On Nov 19, 7:23 am, Ron Natalie > wrote:
> paul kgyy wrote:
>
> > I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
> > concern is that's not always timely.
>
> A METAR has a timestamp.
>
> A METAR however is NOT a subsitute for the ATIS.

There is another important distinction. METAR is weather. ATIS
contains NOTAM and other important information.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
> On Nov 19, 7:23 am, Ron Natalie > wrote:
>> paul kgyy wrote:
>>
>>> I do have the Garmin 396 and can pull up the METAR on that, but my
>>> concern is that's not always timely.
>> A METAR has a timestamp.
>>
>> A METAR however is NOT a subsitute for the ATIS.
>
> There is another important distinction. METAR is weather. ATIS
> contains NOTAM and other important information.
>
>
Yep, that was my point.