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Fgt X unable to contact center due to ATC equipment problem radio receiver failure. Situation perceived old radio equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 223634 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199210 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lmt |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4100 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zse tower : lmt |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 2 |
| ASRS Report | 223634 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | Intra Facility Coordination Failure other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
An fgt was departing on an IFR cross country. Approximately 1 min after departure he returned to our frequency, unable to contact center on 351.7. We coordinated a turn and higher altitude, then listened in on our VHF tunable radio (the fgt has a VHF radio and was given that frequency). We heard seattle and the aircraft; the fgt could hear center but center could not hear the fgt. 2 subsequent aircraft had difficulty communicating with center and contacted us. Center's receiver obviously was not working. We relayed information in both cases. (UHF 351.7 and VHF 127.6 involved). I used to work at seattle center, and toured the basement where their radio equipment is located. Dates on this equipment are the early 1940's! Many sectors at seattle center frequently have radio problems. I believe that the obvious solution would be to convert to new equipment -- something a little newer than 50 yrs old.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FGT X UNABLE TO CONTACT CTR DUE TO ATC EQUIP PROBLEM RADIO RECEIVER FAILURE. SITUATION PERCEIVED OLD RADIO EQUIP.
Narrative: AN FGT WAS DEPARTING ON AN IFR XCOUNTRY. APPROX 1 MIN AFTER DEP HE RETURNED TO OUR FREQ, UNABLE TO CONTACT CTR ON 351.7. WE COORDINATED A TURN AND HIGHER ALT, THEN LISTENED IN ON OUR VHF TUNABLE RADIO (THE FGT HAS A VHF RADIO AND WAS GIVEN THAT FREQ). WE HEARD SEATTLE AND THE ACFT; THE FGT COULD HEAR CTR BUT CTR COULD NOT HEAR THE FGT. 2 SUBSEQUENT ACFT HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH CTR AND CONTACTED US. CTR'S RECEIVER OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT WORKING. WE RELAYED INFO IN BOTH CASES. (UHF 351.7 AND VHF 127.6 INVOLVED). I USED TO WORK AT SEATTLE CTR, AND TOURED THE BASEMENT WHERE THEIR RADIO EQUIP IS LOCATED. DATES ON THIS EQUIP ARE THE EARLY 1940'S! MANY SECTORS AT SEATTLE CTR FREQUENTLY HAVE RADIO PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE THAT THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION WOULD BE TO CONVERT TO NEW EQUIP -- SOMETHING A LITTLE NEWER THAN 50 YRS OLD.
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.