Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 350; Flight Crew Type 300
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Airport; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I would like to request that the AWOS reporting system at Potomac Airfield (VKX) be amended to remove a foreign language reporting. The report that is generated in the foreign language is long; ties up the frequency; and is a safety hazard as it serves no identified purpose for the local pilots.Upon arrival into the DCA Class B airspace I was given a direct clearance and told to expect the visual approach into Potomac Airfield (VKX). At the time that Potomac Approach switched me over to the advisory frequency at VKX; I was lined up for an extended base leg which would require me to cross the departure end of Rwy 6. Knowing that this is not the usual entry into the traffic pattern I wanted to be sure to announce my position to any aircraft that may be in the area. While ATC had advised me that there was no traffic between me and the field; as soon as I switched over to advisory I heard someone 'keying or clicking' multiple times to get the weather advisory at VKX. Besides the weather report and communications check that is available to pilots on the system; there is also a strange foreign language report that can be generated using 'clicks' on the frequency. This report is long; ties up the communication; and does not serve any known purpose other than 1) a possible sales tool for the owner of the airport and AWOS system or 2) comedic value (hard to believe). Upon my switch to advisory; it was clear a pilot somewhere in the area had accidentally triggered the foreign Language report. My attempts at communicating over the report were not getting through; and by the time the report had finished I was clear of the departure end of RWY 6 and was making my turn to final. Roughly 2.5 miles had passed. We fly in a very restrictive and busy airspace where communication is imperative. Given that I was not only crossing the departure end of RWY 6 but also was going to intercept the 'preferred' traffic route inside of 3 nm; I would have liked to have had the opportunity to make clear position calls. This feeling was only exaggerated knowing that there was another aircraft somewhere in the area. I hope that this request will prevent an unnecessary safety incident in the future.
Pilot reports the AWOS system at VKX includes lengthy foreign language reports which block out UNICOM frequency communications.