"Important Rules" #4 maybe needs update re: voice on UNICOM

[Matthew Orlando]

On the Important Rules page, rule #4 says (emphasis mine):

Quote

Not all air traffic controllers or pilots have a voice program. Pilots need to accept any ATC using text-only communication, and all UNICOM messages are to be transmitted in text. There is no obligation to use voice on VATSIM.

However, my first time on UNICOM I heard voice comms. I found a few threads that say voice is now allowed and encouraged on UNICOM with features that were added last year, and the CoC doesn't mention using text-only.

So I think the rules page needs an update. Is there a better place to report this?

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Here is probably fine.  Can you include a link to the page on which you saw this, just for clarification?

DUH, never mind, you did

Edited December 2, 2020 at 08:32 PM by Robert Shearman Jr

[Tim Wong]

You can transmit and receive voice only up to 15nm. It can be handy on final approach. However for somebody without headset/microphone or even a person with physical disability, he won't hear you. So text messages are highly recommended in order to get the attention and intentions from other pilots.

Edited December 3, 2020 at 01:37 PM by Tim Wong

[Lauri Uusitalo]

9 hours ago, Tim Wong said:

You can transmit and receive voice only up to 15nm. It can be handy on final approach.

AFV manual states 15+15 so 30nm maximum. I do not know if airplane altitude affects this the same way as on non UNICOM channels.

[Mats Edvin Aaro]

There are a lot of outdated posts that haven't been updated for a decade... I will do a sweep and update everything I find as soon as possible! 🙂

And yes, 30nm is the effective range of voice UNICOM; 15nm radius from both planes.

 

Edit: I see that the link is pointing to the Pilot Resource Center. We are rebuilding our website, but have relocated the Pilot learning platform to our new user platform: https://my.vatsim.net/learn