Narrative:

Unable to effectively communicate with FSS in this area. Most trips using lake reporting in this area have the same effect. Have almost had coast guard called more than once, and irate FSS people, justifiably so. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Could waukegan be used at or near flts and to communicate by phone to kankakee FSS? Or staying with south bend FSS to the west shore would work better than we have now. I fly to michigan quite often and am relieved to have FSS monitoring as I proceed. FSS stations and pilots both need a more reliable system. Please don't let this be the gates at the railroad crossing scenario. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says that he learned from talking to FSS people that there are communication problems in that particular area because it lies at the outer edges of radio coverage for both south bend and kankakee FSS's. Reporter had cancelled lake reporting service when he reached the shoreline, but had difficulty understanding the FSS over the radio. When he arrived at his destination, FSS was on the phone wondering whether he had gone in the drink. Reporter says reporting service is great but for this persistent communication problem. He says that he might have received better reception at higher altitudes, but was not sure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT OF SMA COMPLAINS OF POOR RADIO RECEPTION NEAR NORTHEAST CORNER OF ILLINOIS WHILE USING LAKE REPORTING SERVICE WITH IKK FSS RESULTING IN SEARCH AND RESCUE PROC BEING STARTED.

Narrative: UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH FSS IN THIS AREA. MOST TRIPS USING LAKE REPORTING IN THIS AREA HAVE THE SAME EFFECT. HAVE ALMOST HAD COAST GUARD CALLED MORE THAN ONCE, AND IRATE FSS PEOPLE, JUSTIFIABLY SO. ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. COULD WAUKEGAN BE USED AT OR NEAR FLTS AND TO COMMUNICATE BY PHONE TO KANKAKEE FSS? OR STAYING WITH SOUTH BEND FSS TO THE WEST SHORE WOULD WORK BETTER THAN WE HAVE NOW. I FLY TO MICHIGAN QUITE OFTEN AND AM RELIEVED TO HAVE FSS MONITORING AS I PROCEED. FSS STATIONS AND PLTS BOTH NEED A MORE RELIABLE SYSTEM. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS BE THE GATES AT THE RAILROAD XING SCENARIO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER SAYS THAT HE LEARNED FROM TALKING TO FSS PEOPLE THAT THERE ARE COM PROBLEMS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA BECAUSE IT LIES AT THE OUTER EDGES OF RADIO COVERAGE FOR BOTH SOUTH BEND AND KANKAKEE FSS'S. REPORTER HAD CANCELLED LAKE REPORTING SERVICE WHEN HE REACHED THE SHORELINE, BUT HAD DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE FSS OVER THE RADIO. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT HIS DEST, FSS WAS ON THE PHONE WONDERING WHETHER HE HAD GONE IN THE DRINK. REPORTER SAYS REPORTING SERVICE IS GREAT BUT FOR THIS PERSISTENT COM PROBLEM. HE SAYS THAT HE MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED BETTER RECEPTION AT HIGHER ALTS, BUT WAS NOT SURE.

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.