Narrative:

This is a general letter to complain of a continuing problem that is getting worse. The radio xmissions from many sectors and many 'ctrs' have so much backgnd noise and/or static that it is very hard to discern what the controllers are saying much of the time. Much of the noise can be attributed to other conversations in the backgnd (which many times is as discernable as the conversation on your own frequency) and part of it is a static type transmission, which many times gets better if the controller changes radios. It is extremely hard to pick most female's voices out of this confusion as their voices seem to blend in with most of it. I have noticed this more since wearing my newly acquired and required boom headset and in fact have tried 4 different headsets to no avail. Most controllers (when I complain) say: 1. Yes, we've had several complaints. 2. They try another radio, which many times is better if it is a static problem. 3. Either 'they are very busy behind me' or once 'the group behind me is ordering pizza.' the real telling tale only once have I had a problem on an approach control frequency, but about 60 percent of the time on center frequencys. 2 of the worst frequencys are both in miami center (frequencys 132.4 and 132.45).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT COMPLAINT ABOUT BACKGND NOISE BEING RECEIVED WHILE BEING WORKED BY ARTCC'S.

Narrative: THIS IS A GENERAL LETTER TO COMPLAIN OF A CONTINUING PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING WORSE. THE RADIO XMISSIONS FROM MANY SECTORS AND MANY 'CTRS' HAVE SO MUCH BACKGND NOISE AND/OR STATIC THAT IT IS VERY HARD TO DISCERN WHAT THE CTLRS ARE SAYING MUCH OF THE TIME. MUCH OF THE NOISE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS IN THE BACKGND (WHICH MANY TIMES IS AS DISCERNABLE AS THE CONVERSATION ON YOUR OWN FREQ) AND PART OF IT IS A STATIC TYPE XMISSION, WHICH MANY TIMES GETS BETTER IF THE CTLR CHANGES RADIOS. IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO PICK MOST FEMALE'S VOICES OUT OF THIS CONFUSION AS THEIR VOICES SEEM TO BLEND IN WITH MOST OF IT. I HAVE NOTICED THIS MORE SINCE WEARING MY NEWLY ACQUIRED AND REQUIRED BOOM HEADSET AND IN FACT HAVE TRIED 4 DIFFERENT HEADSETS TO NO AVAIL. MOST CTLRS (WHEN I COMPLAIN) SAY: 1. YES, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. 2. THEY TRY ANOTHER RADIO, WHICH MANY TIMES IS BETTER IF IT IS A STATIC PROBLEM. 3. EITHER 'THEY ARE VERY BUSY BEHIND ME' OR ONCE 'THE GROUP BEHIND ME IS ORDERING PIZZA.' THE REAL TELLING TALE ONLY ONCE HAVE I HAD A PROBLEM ON AN APCH CTL FREQ, BUT ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE TIME ON CTR FREQS. 2 OF THE WORST FREQS ARE BOTH IN MIAMI CTR (FREQS 132.4 AND 132.45).

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.