Narrative:

My small aircraft aircraft is equipped with an XXXX channel navigation/communication radio (100 kc spacing), and a newly installed mode C transponder. My 200 mi flight, straight line, point a to point B was to pass directly through the arsa, of which the outer base altitude is 2000 MSL. My cruise altitude was 2000 MSL, with a ground speed of 80 mph. As I approached about 15 mi from the arsa airport, I called the tower and he acknowledged my call. (Communications established.) before I could call him back, other aircraft were calling, and he was intermittent and fading out. At that point, I decided communication with the tower for an arsa overflt was not working, so I dug out my stand-by hand-held radio, (which has 720 channels) and called approach. He informed me I was already in the arsa, and proceeded to read me the riot act. I told him about my chat with the tower. He confirmed that, and said I had not made a second call to the tower (true). He cleared me through the arsa at 3500 MSL (more headwind). During the time I was in the arsa, the radar controller talked to only 1 or 2 other aircraft. Really busy! In retrospect, before calling radar I should have descended to 1900 MSL, which would have given me another 5 mi to the arsa base. Since FAA can now use this mode C transponder as a violation tool, I suggest turning it all off, (91.24C, ah ha, another violation). Or, as I am going to do, is remove all my transponder and mode C equipment so as not to be tempted by another arsa overflt. Once again, when I am given as traffic to other aircraft, I will simply be another non-altitude reporting, non-communicating blip on radar. With the extra equipment removed I can now carry that extra gallon of fuel so I can circumnav the arsa's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARSA INCURSION. UNABLE CALLBACK.

Narrative: MY SMA ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH AN XXXX CHANNEL NAV/COM RADIO (100 KC SPACING), AND A NEWLY INSTALLED MODE C XPONDER. MY 200 MI FLT, STRAIGHT LINE, POINT A TO POINT B WAS TO PASS DIRECTLY THROUGH THE ARSA, OF WHICH THE OUTER BASE ALT IS 2000 MSL. MY CRUISE ALT WAS 2000 MSL, WITH A GND SPEED OF 80 MPH. AS I APCHED ABOUT 15 MI FROM THE ARSA ARPT, I CALLED THE TWR AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED MY CALL. (COMS ESTABLISHED.) BEFORE I COULD CALL HIM BACK, OTHER ACFT WERE CALLING, AND HE WAS INTERMITTENT AND FADING OUT. AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED COM WITH THE TWR FOR AN ARSA OVERFLT WAS NOT WORKING, SO I DUG OUT MY STAND-BY HAND-HELD RADIO, (WHICH HAS 720 CHANNELS) AND CALLED APCH. HE INFORMED ME I WAS ALREADY IN THE ARSA, AND PROCEEDED TO READ ME THE RIOT ACT. I TOLD HIM ABOUT MY CHAT WITH THE TWR. HE CONFIRMED THAT, AND SAID I HAD NOT MADE A SECOND CALL TO THE TWR (TRUE). HE CLRED ME THROUGH THE ARSA AT 3500 MSL (MORE HEADWIND). DURING THE TIME I WAS IN THE ARSA, THE RADAR CTLR TALKED TO ONLY 1 OR 2 OTHER ACFT. REALLY BUSY! IN RETROSPECT, BEFORE CALLING RADAR I SHOULD HAVE DESCENDED TO 1900 MSL, WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME ANOTHER 5 MI TO THE ARSA BASE. SINCE FAA CAN NOW USE THIS MODE C XPONDER AS A VIOLATION TOOL, I SUGGEST TURNING IT ALL OFF, (91.24C, AH HA, ANOTHER VIOLATION). OR, AS I AM GOING TO DO, IS REMOVE ALL MY XPONDER AND MODE C EQUIPMENT SO AS NOT TO BE TEMPTED BY ANOTHER ARSA OVERFLT. ONCE AGAIN, WHEN I AM GIVEN AS TFC TO OTHER ACFT, I WILL SIMPLY BE ANOTHER NON-ALT REPORTING, NON-COMMUNICATING BLIP ON RADAR. WITH THE EXTRA EQUIPMENT REMOVED I CAN NOW CARRY THAT EXTRA GALLON OF FUEL SO I CAN CIRCUMNAV THE ARSA'S.

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.