Narrative:

Departed rgk in the late evening. FSS briefing mentioned fog after midnight and VFR not recommended after 0000. Unable to receive any response to calls on approach 121.2, flight watch 122.0, st paul tower/CTAF 119.1, minneapolis tower 126.7 or crystal tower/CTAF 120.7 despite repeated calls on airplane radio and on handheld transceiver. Observed what appeared to be fog ahead and climbed to increase radio range for report on fog. Squawked 7700 2 or 3 mins then 7600, repeated cycle once during flight. At hastings I realized I could see st paul lights through haze but that I was probably in the TCA west/O permission or radio contact. Descended immediately to remain clear of TCA, landed at crystal west/O any radio contact with anyone. My perception was that I could be heading into fog, and west/O radio contact I was concerned I might be headed into IMC conditions. Maintained visibility contact with rgk beacon until hastings where I made visibility contact with st paul. My decision to climb to increase possibility of radio reception was appropriate, as was squawking lost radio and attempting to contact ATC on different frequencys with both radios. My failure to remain clear of TCA was due in part to my decision to climb to increase possibility of reception, as well as use of the mississippi for navigation (3 day old moon, very dark). I believe I just nicked the TCA and took immediate corrective action to depart TCA. My preoccupation with the possibility of flying into IMC west/O radio contact about conditions ahead diverted my attention from remaining clear of the TCA. I still don't know why I couldn't reach ATC or either radio, both radios checked out ok the next day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ON NIGHT PLEASURE FLT EXPERIENCES RADIO PROBLEMS, ENCOUNTERS WX, AND PENETRATES MSP TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED RGK IN THE LATE EVENING. FSS BRIEFING MENTIONED FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT AND VFR NOT RECOMMENDED AFTER 0000. UNABLE TO RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE TO CALLS ON APCH 121.2, FLT WATCH 122.0, ST PAUL TWR/CTAF 119.1, MINNEAPOLIS TWR 126.7 OR CRYSTAL TWR/CTAF 120.7 DESPITE REPEATED CALLS ON AIRPLANE RADIO AND ON HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER. OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE FOG AHEAD AND CLIMBED TO INCREASE RADIO RANGE FOR RPT ON FOG. SQUAWKED 7700 2 OR 3 MINS THEN 7600, REPEATED CYCLE ONCE DURING FLT. AT HASTINGS I REALIZED I COULD SEE ST PAUL LIGHTS THROUGH HAZE BUT THAT I WAS PROBABLY IN THE TCA W/O PERMISSION OR RADIO CONTACT. DSNDED IMMEDIATELY TO REMAIN CLR OF TCA, LANDED AT CRYSTAL W/O ANY RADIO CONTACT WITH ANYONE. MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT I COULD BE HDG INTO FOG, AND W/O RADIO CONTACT I WAS CONCERNED I MIGHT BE HEADED INTO IMC CONDITIONS. MAINTAINED VIS CONTACT WITH RGK BEACON UNTIL HASTINGS WHERE I MADE VIS CONTACT WITH ST PAUL. MY DECISION TO CLIMB TO INCREASE POSSIBILITY OF RADIO RECEPTION WAS APPROPRIATE, AS WAS SQUAWKING LOST RADIO AND ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ATC ON DIFFERENT FREQS WITH BOTH RADIOS. MY FAILURE TO REMAIN CLR OF TCA WAS DUE IN PART TO MY DECISION TO CLIMB TO INCREASE POSSIBILITY OF RECEPTION, AS WELL AS USE OF THE MISSISSIPPI FOR NAV (3 DAY OLD MOON, VERY DARK). I BELIEVE I JUST NICKED THE TCA AND TOOK IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO DEPART TCA. MY PREOCCUPATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FLYING INTO IMC W/O RADIO CONTACT ABOUT CONDITIONS AHEAD DIVERTED MY ATTN FROM REMAINING CLR OF THE TCA. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY I COULDN'T REACH ATC OR EITHER RADIO, BOTH RADIOS CHKED OUT OK THE NEXT DAY.

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.