Air carrier lost radio contact. No response on SELCAL.

Attributes
ACN	113945
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32000 msl bound upper : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	113945
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I checked HF SELCAL after takeoff from hnl on both 1 and 2 checked ok. Was called to the cabin to assist F/a on 2 occasions. Also busy doing other second officer duties. At next checkpoint first officer made position report and was advised we were unreachable for 1 hour by SELCAL and VHF. The volume was down of captain and first officer VHF radios and HF radios. I do not wear a headset at cruise and I have no speaker. I don't know how we got in this position. After realizing it SELCAL was checked ok and volumes were turned up on VHF's all was normal. The first officer had asked me after I checked SELCAL if I didn't need the SELCAL back on VHF to monitor company. I responded that once I check VHF I stay there. He may have reset SELCAL to VHF and forgot to go back to UHF when he changed over. I don't know but this would explain why SELCAL was responding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LOST RADIO CONTACT. NO RESPONSE ON SELCAL.

Narrative: I CHECKED HF SELCAL AFTER TKOF FROM HNL ON BOTH 1 AND 2 CHECKED OK. WAS CALLED TO THE CABIN TO ASSIST F/A ON 2 OCCASIONS. ALSO BUSY DOING OTHER S/O DUTIES. AT NEXT CHECKPOINT F/O MADE POSITION REPORT AND WAS ADVISED WE WERE UNREACHABLE FOR 1 HR BY SELCAL AND VHF. THE VOLUME WAS DOWN OF CAPT AND F/O VHF RADIOS AND HF RADIOS. I DO NOT WEAR A HEADSET AT CRUISE AND I HAVE NO SPEAKER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT IN THIS POSITION. AFTER REALIZING IT SELCAL WAS CHECKED OK AND VOLUMES WERE TURNED UP ON VHF'S ALL WAS NORMAL. THE F/O HAD ASKED ME AFTER I CHECKED SELCAL IF I DIDN'T NEED THE SELCAL BACK ON VHF TO MONITOR COMPANY. I RESPONDED THAT ONCE I CHECK VHF I STAY THERE. HE MAY HAVE RESET SELCAL TO VHF AND FORGOT TO GO BACK TO UHF WHEN HE CHANGED OVER. I DON'T KNOW BUT THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY SELCAL WAS RESPONDING.

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.