Pilot complaint regarding lack of reception capability on TRACON frequency near atl.

Attributes
ACN	171692
Time
Date	199102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lzu
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : atl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	171692
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Pilot and aircraft are based in the atlanta, GA area. On numerous occasions when flying near lzu I have lost communications (unable to receive) atl approach on 119.3 (both VFR and IFR flight). This problem occurs consistently in this area, and seems to be independent of aircraft heading or altitude (up to approximately 8000'). I now make it a practice to monitor the remote (134.0) recently located at lzu, but only local pilots are aware of this option. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states in checking with other pilots he is aware of numerous problems in various areas with this particular frequency. Controllers he has spoken with responded with, 'yes, that's a very weak transmitter.' reporter is not concerned when outbnd, but when returning and flying into the 'mess' around atl, it is very disturbing to lost communication. The dead area covers about 20 mi and often for about 10 mins. He now just tunes the remoted frequency, but there has been no information publicizing the remote availability since its installation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT COMPLAINT REGARDING LACK OF RECEPTION CAPABILITY ON TRACON FREQ NEAR ATL.

Narrative: PLT AND ACFT ARE BASED IN THE ATLANTA, GA AREA. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN FLYING NEAR LZU I HAVE LOST COMS (UNABLE TO RECEIVE) ATL APCH ON 119.3 (BOTH VFR AND IFR FLT). THIS PROB OCCURS CONSISTENTLY IN THIS AREA, AND SEEMS TO BE INDEPENDENT OF ACFT HDG OR ALT (UP TO APPROX 8000'). I NOW MAKE IT A PRACTICE TO MONITOR THE REMOTE (134.0) RECENTLY LOCATED AT LZU, BUT ONLY LCL PLTS ARE AWARE OF THIS OPTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES IN CHKING WITH OTHER PLTS HE IS AWARE OF NUMEROUS PROBS IN VARIOUS AREAS WITH THIS PARTICULAR FREQ. CTLRS HE HAS SPOKEN WITH RESPONDED WITH, 'YES, THAT'S A VERY WEAK XMITTER.' RPTR IS NOT CONCERNED WHEN OUTBND, BUT WHEN RETURNING AND FLYING INTO THE 'MESS' AROUND ATL, IT IS VERY DISTURBING TO LOST COM. THE DEAD AREA COVERS ABOUT 20 MI AND OFTEN FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. HE NOW JUST TUNES THE REMOTED FREQ, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO INFO PUBLICIZING THE REMOTE AVAILABILITY SINCE ITS INSTALLATION.

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.