Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Student
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 16; Flight Crew Total 50; Flight Crew Type 16
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Human Factors
Student Pilot; Solo Cross Country. Com1 went out mid-flight; Com2 had been squawked as INOP before I checked the plane out. Had to switch to handheld radio. Approaching untowered airport from the west. Made a radio call on CTAF frequency 10 miles out; 5 miles out; reported inbound and intentions; and asked for a mic check; which no one replied to. I could hear the traffic but they couldn't hear my calls. There was 1 plane in the pattern as observed from listening to CTAF calls; a Cherokee; doing touch and goes; and 1 plane joining the pattern from the east; a Bonanza. At this point I was 3 miles from the airport; not in the pattern yet. The voices of the pilots of the 2 planes sounded very similar. Cherokee reported midfield downwind and didn't say his aircraft type; and the Bonanza reported downwind shortly after. Knowing both planes were on downwind; and much faster than my Cessna; I thought both traffics would be no factor. I watched Cherokee pass by as I was about to join downwind. Not knowing GA types from being a low time student pilot on a solo cross country; I thought that was the Bonanza; I called over CTAF with handheld and advised that I was joining downwind; behind what I thought was the Bonanza but was actually the Cherokee; but my call could not be transmitted; and all the other pilots heard was static. And they called back saying my call was unreadable. I was already in downwind at this point; behind the Cherokee which I thought was the Bonanza. Ended up cutting off the Bonanza. I called base and final; still unreadable. On ramp; Bonanza pilot gets upset understandably; and I explain my situation to him; that I am a student pilot on a solo cross country; and my com went out and my handheld wasn't working; which he wasn't very understanding of.Was able to restart Com1 and get it working again by restarting the airplane. No further occurrence.
C172 pilot reported an NMAC in the pattern at non-towered GIF airport; citing radio failure and aircraft misidentification as contributing.