Narrative:

Approximately 2 weeks ago the transmitter site was moved at mem airport. Since that time numerous frequency problems have arisen including complete failures. There are several places on the airport where communication with aircraft is impossible. Aircraft on txwys, runways, and ramps are unable to communicate with the tower or ground control. I have had to relay messages from one aircraft to another on numerous occasions. Some sits were critical during arrival pushes trying to cross runways or clear aircraft for takeoff while others were on short final with a landing clearance. This situation is unsafe and needs immediate attention. There are also numerous cases of frequency bleed-over when it does work along with several complaints from aircraft that xmissions are 'garbled' or 'unreadable.' supplemental information from acn 233244: frequencys 119.7/118.3/125.2/121.0/121.9/121.65 continue to have numerous blatant receiver and transmitter 'dead zones' most of which have been located in very critical areas such as the runways and the txwys that are active. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that the problem still exists. A ucr has been filed. The original radio site was moved because the airport is constructing a new runway in that location. The new site checked out during testing, however, they learned later that relay equipment was used to boost the signals. Reporter does not know what the next plans are to fix the problem. He stated that there have been no incidents so far, but could easily result in one. Both transmitters and receivers are involved and both are intermittent. When they go out, they are totally dead, not garbled. It also only impacts aircraft on the ground, not in the air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: XMITTER AND RECEIVER SITE MOVED AND CAUSING INTERMITTENT RADIO PROBS.

Narrative: APPROX 2 WKS AGO THE XMITTER SITE WAS MOVED AT MEM ARPT. SINCE THAT TIME NUMEROUS FREQ PROBS HAVE ARISEN INCLUDING COMPLETE FAILURES. THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES ON THE ARPT WHERE COM WITH ACFT IS IMPOSSIBLE. ACFT ON TXWYS, RWYS, AND RAMPS ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR OR GND CTL. I HAVE HAD TO RELAY MESSAGES FROM ONE ACFT TO ANOTHER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. SOME SITS WERE CRITICAL DURING ARR PUSHES TRYING TO CROSS RWYS OR CLR ACFT FOR TKOF WHILE OTHERS WERE ON SHORT FINAL WITH A LNDG CLRNC. THIS SIT IS UNSAFE AND NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTN. THERE ARE ALSO NUMEROUS CASES OF FREQ BLEED-OVER WHEN IT DOES WORK ALONG WITH SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM ACFT THAT XMISSIONS ARE 'GARBLED' OR 'UNREADABLE.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 233244: FREQS 119.7/118.3/125.2/121.0/121.9/121.65 CONTINUE TO HAVE NUMEROUS BLATANT RECEIVER AND XMITTER 'DEAD ZONES' MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN VERY CRITICAL AREAS SUCH AS THE RWYS AND THE TXWYS THAT ARE ACTIVE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT THE PROB STILL EXISTS. A UCR HAS BEEN FILED. THE ORIGINAL RADIO SITE WAS MOVED BECAUSE THE ARPT IS CONSTRUCTING A NEW RWY IN THAT LOCATION. THE NEW SITE CHKED OUT DURING TESTING, HOWEVER, THEY LEARNED LATER THAT RELAY EQUIP WAS USED TO BOOST THE SIGNALS. RPTR DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE NEXT PLANS ARE TO FIX THE PROB. HE STATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS SO FAR, BUT COULD EASILY RESULT IN ONE. BOTH XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS ARE INVOLVED AND BOTH ARE INTERMITTENT. WHEN THEY GO OUT, THEY ARE TOTALLY DEAD, NOT GARBLED. IT ALSO ONLY IMPACTS ACFT ON THE GND, NOT IN THE AIR.

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.