A pilot resident of st thomas reports that a tower frequency has been unusable since sep 89.

Attributes
ACN	223296
Time
Date	199210
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stt
State Reference	VI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 9000
ASRS Report	223296
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Tower frequency 118.1 has been unusable since sep/xx/89. This is of urgent need of repair since this was the only form of communications with st thomas tower when below 1500 ft on north side of st thomas air traffic area. This frequency not being available constitutes an unsafe condition in the air traffic area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: contacted facility and learned that reporter's complaints are valid. Tower frequency 118.1 MHZ is intermittent on the north side of airport in certain locations and altitudes. It appears that maintenance technicians have been working off and on for several yrs to find the problem, but have not been successful. Tower has 2 frequencys assigned, 118.8 and 118.1, but usually only uses 118.8 because of the poor radio coverage with 118.1.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT RESIDENT OF ST THOMAS RPTS THAT A TWR FREQ HAS BEEN UNUSABLE SINCE SEP 89.

Narrative: TWR FREQ 118.1 HAS BEEN UNUSABLE SINCE SEP/XX/89. THIS IS OF URGENT NEED OF REPAIR SINCE THIS WAS THE ONLY FORM OF COMS WITH ST THOMAS TWR WHEN BELOW 1500 FT ON N SIDE OF ST THOMAS ATA. THIS FREQ NOT BEING AVAILABLE CONSTITUTES AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN THE ATA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONTACTED FACILITY AND LEARNED THAT RPTR'S COMPLAINTS ARE VALID. TWR FREQ 118.1 MHZ IS INTERMITTENT ON THE N SIDE OF ARPT IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS AND ALTS. IT APPEARS THAT MAINT TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN WORKING OFF AND ON FOR SEVERAL YRS TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. TWR HAS 2 FREQS ASSIGNED, 118.8 AND 118.1, BUT USUALLY ONLY USES 118.8 BECAUSE OF THE POOR RADIO COVERAGE WITH 118.1.

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.