Jay Honeck wrote:

Flashback time:

I remember one of my solo flights in the pattern at East Troy, WI
(57C), where I was going 'round and 'round, happily doing touch &
goes. With each turn, I dutifully made the full call "East Troy
traffic, Cherokee 5855U is entering a left downwind for Runway 26,
East Troy"...then base....then final....for an hour or more.

During that time, I was the only plane in the pattern. (I trained
early in the morning, weekdays before work, so I was ALWAYS the only
plane in the pattern.)

Finally, my crusty old instructor, Bob, jumped on Unicom and called
out "You having *fun* up there, Jay?" I laughed and responded "You
bet!"

It took me several years before I realized he was probably poking fun
at my umpty-three-billion radio calls...


I had the opposite happen. Like you I was the only one in the pattern for
touch & goes, it was towered so I didn't call out every move, they just
watched and when they saw me turning base they'd clear me for landing. This
went on for some time when all of a sudden I realized I'd been concentrating
so much on flying that I hadn't heard the "cleared for landing" on the last
two touch and goes. Tweeked the squelch and no noise. Strange. Turned out
the particular 150 I got assigned that day had the nasty habit of the volume
turning itself down from the vibration...
Called the tower to apologize for not acknowleging landing clearance the
last couple go arounds, explaining what happened, and they just laughed,
saying they could see everything was under control... [blush]
Good thing it was a quiet day - actually TOO quiet.