Narrative:

ATC had us in radar contact and was watching us. We flew an estimated 20-30 mi receiving tys weakly, but with no flags. Later upon asking for a DME fix at the turn point between spa 270 degree right and tys 125 degree right, we were told that intersection was spa 270 degree right and 18 mi. We did not receive tys steadily enough to turn on until 20+ mi beyond the intersection. We asked ATC about tys after we made the turn and he said it was showing normal or reported as normal. We let him know that we had trouble receiving it. He said no problem, he had been watching us. My suggestion is that instead of receiving clrncs radial/radial for intxns with turns that route clrncs be issued with radial and DME so that identify of the intxns is positive; i.e., 'spa 270 degree right 18 mi DME direct tys,' instead of 'spa 270 degree right to intersect tys 125 degree right.' the above would be much more accurate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG IN CRUISE HAD DIFFICULTY IDENTIFYING INTERSECTING RADIAL. REPORTER PREFERS RADIAL OFF VOR WITH DME FOR FIX.

Narrative: ATC HAD US IN RADAR CONTACT AND WAS WATCHING US. WE FLEW AN ESTIMATED 20-30 MI RECEIVING TYS WEAKLY, BUT WITH NO FLAGS. LATER UPON ASKING FOR A DME FIX AT THE TURN POINT BTWN SPA 270 DEG R AND TYS 125 DEG R, WE WERE TOLD THAT INTXN WAS SPA 270 DEG R AND 18 MI. WE DID NOT RECEIVE TYS STEADILY ENOUGH TO TURN ON UNTIL 20+ MI BEYOND THE INTXN. WE ASKED ATC ABOUT TYS AFTER WE MADE THE TURN AND HE SAID IT WAS SHOWING NORMAL OR RPTED AS NORMAL. WE LET HIM KNOW THAT WE HAD TROUBLE RECEIVING IT. HE SAID NO PROB, HE HAD BEEN WATCHING US. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT INSTEAD OF RECEIVING CLRNCS RADIAL/RADIAL FOR INTXNS WITH TURNS THAT RTE CLRNCS BE ISSUED WITH RADIAL AND DME SO THAT IDENT OF THE INTXNS IS POSITIVE; I.E., 'SPA 270 DEG R 18 MI DME DIRECT TYS,' INSTEAD OF 'SPA 270 DEG R TO INTERSECT TYS 125 DEG R.' THE ABOVE WOULD BE MUCH MORE ACCURATE.

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.