Narrative:

Sby VOR was off the air, so we were on the cedar lake 211 degree right to 72 DME, then direct orf. Level at FL280 when we switched to 135.27. Captain flying, me (first officer) doing radios. When checking in on 35.27, I requested FL350 for the final altitude. Center pointed out 2 northbound FL290 aircraft which we acknowledged. After second aircraft cleared us, center told us to climb to FL330. I read back clearance to climb FL330. Captain wasn't sure proper call sign was used in clearance (we were dcc, but had been called ddc once already today), so he verified it with ZDC. They confirmed, 'dcc cleared to FL330.' captain and I both commented on this being the wrong altitude for direction of flight, as we have been doing this trip for 2 months and we're always at FL280 or FL310 on this segment. Expected to be cleared to FL350 soon. After 6-7 mins of silence and about 15-20 mi north of orf, captain said, 'it sure is quiet.' I was just thinking the same thing and called ZDC. Got no response. Tried twice more--no response. Called dca on 133.22, no response. Then tried 132.22 and got controller. Told him we were over orf at FL330 and had lost contact with ZDC on 135.27. He assigned 133.82 and commented dca had us NORDO and the FL330 altitude had apparently caused dca to move a couple of people headed north. Checked in on 133.82 and were given clear to climb FL350, either on this frequency or 127.42, which was assigned 2-3 mins later. Looking over the pink pages (logbook write-ups going back about 2 weeks) after landing, captain found both radios had been written up for transmit squawks 7-10 days ago. No receiver squawks. We were paying attention to the radios. Apparently an intermittent receiver problem caused this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LOST CONTACT WITH ZDC AT CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: SBY VOR WAS OFF THE AIR, SO WE WERE ON THE CEDAR LAKE 211 DEG R TO 72 DME, THEN DIRECT ORF. LEVEL AT FL280 WHEN WE SWITCHED TO 135.27. CAPT FLYING, ME (F/O) DOING RADIOS. WHEN CHKING IN ON 35.27, I REQUESTED FL350 FOR THE FINAL ALT. CENTER POINTED OUT 2 NBOUND FL290 ACFT WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED. AFTER SECOND ACFT CLRED US, CENTER TOLD US TO CLB TO FL330. I READ BACK CLRNC TO CLB FL330. CAPT WASN'T SURE PROPER CALL SIGN WAS USED IN CLRNC (WE WERE DCC, BUT HAD BEEN CALLED DDC ONCE ALREADY TODAY), SO HE VERIFIED IT WITH ZDC. THEY CONFIRMED, 'DCC CLRED TO FL330.' CAPT AND I BOTH COMMENTED ON THIS BEING THE WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT, AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TRIP FOR 2 MONTHS AND WE'RE ALWAYS AT FL280 OR FL310 ON THIS SEGMENT. EXPECTED TO BE CLRED TO FL350 SOON. AFTER 6-7 MINS OF SILENCE AND ABOUT 15-20 MI N OF ORF, CAPT SAID, 'IT SURE IS QUIET.' I WAS JUST THINKING THE SAME THING AND CALLED ZDC. GOT NO RESPONSE. TRIED TWICE MORE--NO RESPONSE. CALLED DCA ON 133.22, NO RESPONSE. THEN TRIED 132.22 AND GOT CTLR. TOLD HIM WE WERE OVER ORF AT FL330 AND HAD LOST CONTACT WITH ZDC ON 135.27. HE ASSIGNED 133.82 AND COMMENTED DCA HAD US NORDO AND THE FL330 ALT HAD APPARENTLY CAUSED DCA TO MOVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HEADED N. CHKED IN ON 133.82 AND WERE GIVEN CLR TO CLB FL350, EITHER ON THIS FREQ OR 127.42, WHICH WAS ASSIGNED 2-3 MINS LATER. LOOKING OVER THE PINK PAGES (LOGBOOK WRITE-UPS GOING BACK ABOUT 2 WKS) AFTER LNDG, CAPT FOUND BOTH RADIOS HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP FOR XMIT SQUAWKS 7-10 DAYS AGO. NO RECEIVER SQUAWKS. WE WERE PAYING ATTN TO THE RADIOS. APPARENTLY AN INTERMITTENT RECEIVER PROB CAUSED THIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.