121.500 mhz question

[dan9125]

I always monitor 121.500mhz and sometimes I hear a aircraft transmit a short message. I just head "JetBlue 178 on guard" and no response from any other plane. Does anyone know why they pop on to this frequency and say stuff like that?  Thanks in advance

Dan (KBUF)

[PHL Approach]

Sometimes they may forget a frequency for their last handoff. They may have already started to change the previous COM1 freq, therefore not being able to go back and ask the controller what the frequency is. So they sometimes try to raise aircraft on the previous freq they were on to ask the controller what they need to go to. Thats one reason.

[w0x0f]

Dan,

Sounds like you are only hearing one part of that communication.  What more than likely happened was that JetBlue 178, who was monitoring the guard fequency, inadvertently switched over and transmitted on 121.5.  He was out of range for your receiver to pick it up.  The pilot that you heard was able to receive JBU's transmission and was kindly informing him that he was transmitting on the emergency frequency.

This happens more now since 9/11.  Fortunately there are plenty of "Guard Police" out there.  You may also here the once funny response "touche," to an "on guard" transmission. 

w0x0f