Narrative:

Proceeding to msp on the meinz 5 arrival at FL280, frequency 134.25(?). We expect to have to cross peppr, 15 NM south of fgt at 10000 ft per the STAR. Aircraft takes about 45 mins to make this descent at normal speeds, clean, idle power. Not having heard from center, we request descent at 55 NM south. No answer. Repeated tries. Another aircraft comes on frequency. Silence from center. Other aircraft switches to previous frequency to alert center controller. Finally controller comes on frequency and tells everyone to calm down and take it easy, he has 'only been working 7 frequencys at once.' he tells us he thought we were already cleared down to cross peppr at 9000 ft. We denied getting a clearance. He said we should know to expect getting a clearance with a peppr crossing restriction. I said we had been trying to raise him for the past several mi. Did the controller clear us and not verify our reply? We were both listening out and should not have missed his transmission. I think he had our frequency deselected, because it was very quiet on frequency, and last week at this time it was busy. So the guy was swamped. This happens too often. Many sectors we traverse are regularly so busy they have no time for the non routine altitude requests, turbulence reports, deviations for WX, etc. Once anyone breaks in it usually overrides another transmission and now precious moments are lost while this is sorted out. An already saturated radio frequency is now reduced to a mass of squeals and control is essentially lost. All too often we hear 'everyone listen up, I'm going to do all the talking.' the system of acknowledging and verifying clrncs has just broken down. This has its potential dangers! Anyway, we left 28000 ft at 30 NM south and did the best we could. But we need data link to unload and free up the radio frequencys for the non routine, and ensure positive transmission and receipt of clrncs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO COM WITH CENTER CTLR FLT RECEIVED LATE DSCNT CLRNC. UNABLE TO MAKE XING RESTRICTION.

Narrative: PROCEEDING TO MSP ON THE MEINZ 5 ARR AT FL280, FREQ 134.25(?). WE EXPECT TO HAVE TO CROSS PEPPR, 15 NM S OF FGT AT 10000 FT PER THE STAR. ACFT TAKES ABOUT 45 MINS TO MAKE THIS DSCNT AT NORMAL SPDS, CLEAN, IDLE PWR. NOT HAVING HEARD FROM CENTER, WE REQUEST DSCNT AT 55 NM S. NO ANSWER. REPEATED TRIES. ANOTHER ACFT COMES ON FREQ. SILENCE FROM CENTER. OTHER ACFT SWITCHES TO PREVIOUS FREQ TO ALERT CENTER CTLR. FINALLY CTLR COMES ON FREQ AND TELLS EVERYONE TO CALM DOWN AND TAKE IT EASY, HE HAS 'ONLY BEEN WORKING 7 FREQS AT ONCE.' HE TELLS US HE THOUGHT WE WERE ALREADY CLRED DOWN TO CROSS PEPPR AT 9000 FT. WE DENIED GETTING A CLRNC. HE SAID WE SHOULD KNOW TO EXPECT GETTING A CLRNC WITH A PEPPR XING RESTRICTION. I SAID WE HAD BEEN TRYING TO RAISE HIM FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MI. DID THE CTLR CLR US AND NOT VERIFY OUR REPLY? WE WERE BOTH LISTENING OUT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE MISSED HIS XMISSION. I THINK HE HAD OUR FREQ DESELECTED, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY QUIET ON FREQ, AND LAST WK AT THIS TIME IT WAS BUSY. SO THE GUY WAS SWAMPED. THIS HAPPENS TOO OFTEN. MANY SECTORS WE TRAVERSE ARE REGULARLY SO BUSY THEY HAVE NO TIME FOR THE NON ROUTINE ALT REQUESTS, TURB RPTS, DEVS FOR WX, ETC. ONCE ANYONE BREAKS IN IT USUALLY OVERRIDES ANOTHER XMISSION AND NOW PRECIOUS MOMENTS ARE LOST WHILE THIS IS SORTED OUT. AN ALREADY SATURATED RADIO FREQ IS NOW REDUCED TO A MASS OF SQUEALS AND CTL IS ESSENTIALLY LOST. ALL TOO OFTEN WE HEAR 'EVERYONE LISTEN UP, I'M GOING TO DO ALL THE TALKING.' THE SYS OF ACKNOWLEDGING AND VERIFYING CLRNCS HAS JUST BROKEN DOWN. THIS HAS ITS POTENTIAL DANGERS! ANYWAY, WE LEFT 28000 FT AT 30 NM S AND DID THE BEST WE COULD. BUT WE NEED DATA LINK TO UNLOAD AND FREE UP THE RADIO FREQS FOR THE NON ROUTINE, AND ENSURE POSITIVE XMISSION AND RECEIPT OF CLRNCS.

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.