Narrative:

This is just (another) comment on radio discipline. Yes, controllers do talk too fast. We are using equipment older than most of today's work force and it engages a lot slower than our brain(south). It's hard, very hard, to wait after we key the microphone before we speak. With today's hub system there are times when non stop talking isn't enough to keep up. I'm reminded of the 'I love lucy' show where she (lucy) is working in the candy factory. As soon as she learns her job the conveyor belt speeds up faster and faster. Well, I can't stuff aircraft in my pockets or down my shirt as lucy did the candy (much less eat them). So much for rapid fire clrncs. Look how we, controller and pilot, are being 'helped' by the use of flight #'south. Again, this is most troublesome during a hub push. An example abc 1948, abc 1958, abc 1608, abc 1938, plus others, will be on the frequency at the same time! Those in the air and on the ground had better be on their toes! On top of that, the response I get most often to a clearance will be, 'roger.' now, 'who said that?!', is my response. This could go on forever, but enough can't be said in favor of good radio discipline. It's the only real tool we have to make this system work. I think we are stuck with the hub system. It's good for the big boys on fifth avenue, but not so out here in the field. So, you folks in the air, use your full call sign, make sure you hear your call sign, and I'll do my best to make sure that I'm heard and understood. Let's all make this a new year's resolution we keep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THE COMS PROBLEMS WHICH ARE PREVALENT IN TODAY'S ATC SYSTEM. HE WRITES ABOUT POOR RADIO DISCIPLINE AND THE PROBLEM OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AROUND HUB ARPTS.

Narrative: THIS IS JUST (ANOTHER) COMMENT ON RADIO DISCIPLINE. YES, CTLRS DO TALK TOO FAST. WE ARE USING EQUIP OLDER THAN MOST OF TODAY'S WORK FORCE AND IT ENGAGES A LOT SLOWER THAN OUR BRAIN(S). IT'S HARD, VERY HARD, TO WAIT AFTER WE KEY THE MIC BEFORE WE SPEAK. WITH TODAY'S HUB SYS THERE ARE TIMES WHEN NON STOP TALKING ISN'T ENOUGH TO KEEP UP. I'M REMINDED OF THE 'I LOVE LUCY' SHOW WHERE SHE (LUCY) IS WORKING IN THE CANDY FACTORY. AS SOON AS SHE LEARNS HER JOB THE CONVEYOR BELT SPEEDS UP FASTER AND FASTER. WELL, I CAN'T STUFF ACFT IN MY POCKETS OR DOWN MY SHIRT AS LUCY DID THE CANDY (MUCH LESS EAT THEM). SO MUCH FOR RAPID FIRE CLRNCS. LOOK HOW WE, CTLR AND PLT, ARE BEING 'HELPED' BY THE USE OF FLT #'S. AGAIN, THIS IS MOST TROUBLESOME DURING A HUB PUSH. AN EXAMPLE ABC 1948, ABC 1958, ABC 1608, ABC 1938, PLUS OTHERS, WILL BE ON THE FREQ AT THE SAME TIME! THOSE IN THE AIR AND ON THE GND HAD BETTER BE ON THEIR TOES! ON TOP OF THAT, THE RESPONSE I GET MOST OFTEN TO A CLRNC WILL BE, 'ROGER.' NOW, 'WHO SAID THAT?!', IS MY RESPONSE. THIS COULD GO ON FOREVER, BUT ENOUGH CAN'T BE SAID IN FAVOR OF GOOD RADIO DISCIPLINE. IT'S THE ONLY REAL TOOL WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS SYS WORK. I THINK WE ARE STUCK WITH THE HUB SYS. IT'S GOOD FOR THE BIG BOYS ON FIFTH AVENUE, BUT NOT SO OUT HERE IN THE FIELD. SO, YOU FOLKS IN THE AIR, USE YOUR FULL CALL SIGN, MAKE SURE YOU HEAR YOUR CALL SIGN, AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD. LET'S ALL MAKE THIS A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION WE KEEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.