Narrative:

At approximately XX05Z the rebel high frequency went out during a moderate push of traffic (134.67). I was working the rebel radar position. At about the same time the london low sector lost their main frequency on 125.25. The standby mode did not work at either position. London finally got the buec on 125.25, however it was very weak. The buec on 134.67 would not select, thus rebel was west/O a frequency for almost 10 mins. 3 aft at FL310 had just been given initial turns and luckily the turns provided sep. At approximately XX15Z somerset super high released their frequency to rebel. At that time I received 3 of 8 aircraft in my airspace. I have no idea if the other aircraft ever got on their appropriate frequencys. 2 of the aircraft at FL330 that I never regained communication with were apparently deviating around WX. ZTL, which is adjacent to rebel, was spinning 3 aircraft on my boundary. Falmouth high, another adjacent sector, was spinning 4 aft for me. The situation was totally unsafe and I consider myself fortunate that no incident happened. Later I was told that the 125.25 buec and the 134.67 buec cannot be selected at the same time. My supervisor did an excellent job of stopping all traffic into my sector until we were caught up. I had to have a tracker, and had a manual controller the whole time. My suggestion is that the FAA put this antique equipment to rest and get us some new reliable equipment. Realistically all I can hope is that next time we lost the frequencys at london low and rebel high, which happens too often, we will have the capability to select both buec's. At the end on the day when I left only 1 sector out of the 6 operating in my area of specializing had its normal frequencys.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC SECTOR LOST PRIMARY RADIO FREQ.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX05Z THE REBEL HIGH FREQ WENT OUT DURING A MODERATE PUSH OF TFC (134.67). I WAS WORKING THE REBEL RADAR POS. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE LONDON LOW SECTOR LOST THEIR MAIN FREQ ON 125.25. THE STANDBY MODE DID NOT WORK AT EITHER POS. LONDON FINALLY GOT THE BUEC ON 125.25, HOWEVER IT WAS VERY WEAK. THE BUEC ON 134.67 WOULD NOT SELECT, THUS REBEL WAS W/O A FREQ FOR ALMOST 10 MINS. 3 AFT AT FL310 HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN INITIAL TURNS AND LUCKILY THE TURNS PROVIDED SEP. AT APPROX XX15Z SOMERSET SUPER HIGH RELEASED THEIR FREQ TO REBEL. AT THAT TIME I RECEIVED 3 OF 8 ACFT IN MY AIRSPACE. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE OTHER ACFT EVER GOT ON THEIR APPROPRIATE FREQS. 2 OF THE ACFT AT FL330 THAT I NEVER REGAINED COM WITH WERE APPARENTLY DEVIATING AROUND WX. ZTL, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO REBEL, WAS SPINNING 3 ACFT ON MY BOUNDARY. FALMOUTH HIGH, ANOTHER ADJACENT SECTOR, WAS SPINNING 4 AFT FOR ME. THE SITUATION WAS TOTALLY UNSAFE AND I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE THAT NO INCIDENT HAPPENED. LATER I WAS TOLD THAT THE 125.25 BUEC AND THE 134.67 BUEC CANNOT BE SELECTED AT THE SAME TIME. MY SUPVR DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF STOPPING ALL TFC INTO MY SECTOR UNTIL WE WERE CAUGHT UP. I HAD TO HAVE A TRACKER, AND HAD A MANUAL CTLR THE WHOLE TIME. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT THE FAA PUT THIS ANTIQUE EQUIP TO REST AND GET US SOME NEW RELIABLE EQUIP. REALISTICALLY ALL I CAN HOPE IS THAT NEXT TIME WE LOST THE FREQS AT LONDON LOW AND REBEL HIGH, WHICH HAPPENS TOO OFTEN, WE WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SELECT BOTH BUEC'S. AT THE END ON THE DAY WHEN I LEFT ONLY 1 SECTOR OUT OF THE 6 OPERATING IN MY AREA OF SPECIALIZING HAD ITS NORMAL FREQS.

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.