Narrative:

Flight was proceeding toward destination (den) on J10 at 31000'. We realized that it had been quite some time since our last contact with center. There seemed to be a lot of radio traffic at the time. I directed the first officer to continue along the arwy while I attempted to reestablish contact with center on the present frequency, which was to no avail. Switching to the preceding frequency also produced no results. Since we were 20-25 mins out from landing, I contacted den approach control and was given a frequency. After contacting ZDV on the frequency issued to us, we were given a series of vectoring turns and speed reductions. We continued to den and were directed to call the center upon arrival. I spoke with a gentleman at ZDV and explained to him that we had not been directed to change frequencys. He informed me of the problems they were having because of the loss of contact. The ATC system is overburdened along some segments and it is not uncommon not to be issued a frequency change as well as missing the issuance of the change. Another problem is the similarity of flight #south.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS LOST COM WITH CENTER. UNABLE CONTACT ON 2 DIFFERENT FREQS. RECEIVES FREQ FROM APCH AND REESTABLISHES CONTACT.

Narrative: FLT WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD DEST (DEN) ON J10 AT 31000'. WE REALIZED THAT IT HAD BEEN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE OUR LAST CONTACT WITH CENTER. THERE SEEMED TO BE A LOT OF RADIO TFC AT THE TIME. I DIRECTED THE F/O TO CONTINUE ALONG THE ARWY WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH CENTER ON THE PRESENT FREQ, WHICH WAS TO NO AVAIL. SWITCHING TO THE PRECEDING FREQ ALSO PRODUCED NO RESULTS. SINCE WE WERE 20-25 MINS OUT FROM LNDG, I CONTACTED DEN APCH CTL AND WAS GIVEN A FREQ. AFTER CONTACTING ZDV ON THE FREQ ISSUED TO US, WE WERE GIVEN A SERIES OF VECTORING TURNS AND SPD REDUCTIONS. WE CONTINUED TO DEN AND WERE DIRECTED TO CALL THE CENTER UPON ARR. I SPOKE WITH A GENTLEMAN AT ZDV AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN DIRECTED TO CHANGE FREQS. HE INFORMED ME OF THE PROBS THEY WERE HAVING BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF CONTACT. THE ATC SYS IS OVERBURDENED ALONG SOME SEGMENTS AND IT IS NOT UNCOMMON NOT TO BE ISSUED A FREQ CHANGE AS WELL AS MISSING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CHANGE. ANOTHER PROB IS THE SIMILARITY OF FLT #S.

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.