Don't read this - it's just a rant.
Now we are back in N Brittany I expect we will hear the first replies to radio check from the UK coastguard. They seem to have huge aerials and with high pressure weather they are often audible over here. This year we have also heard the French yachties asking for radio checks. The reply is usually "fort éclair" or similar. Why would the coastguard want to discuss strong cream cakes?
However that still does not answer the questions: Why do people keep asking for checks and why does the coastguard management pay their people to engage in such meaningless chatter?
Maybe we could dedicate a special channel for radio checks?
End of rant.
