Loss communication occurs with IFR aircraft at low altitudes since reconfign of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	239170
Time
Date	199304
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	239170
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

I was working as an fpl radar controller at sector 58 in ZKC airspace. We have a difficult time talking to aircraft 4000 ft and down. This is mainly due to the radio sites being located in stl. We recently had an airspace reconfign giving us more airspace in sector 58 to the east of st. Louis (about 100 mi east). On this particular night we had icing conditions at 4000 ft and up to 8000 ft. Most light aircraft were staying down at 3000 ft. I could not talk to any of the aircraft staying down and had to resort to relaying messages through other aircraft and other controllers. This is an ongoing problem since reconfign. It can be solved by either going back to the old airspace or relocating the radio sites to accommodate the airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS COM OCCURS WITH IFR ACFT AT LOW ALTS SINCE RECONFIGN OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING AS AN FPL RADAR CTLR AT SECTOR 58 IN ZKC AIRSPACE. WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TALKING TO ACFT 4000 FT AND DOWN. THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO THE RADIO SITES BEING LOCATED IN STL. WE RECENTLY HAD AN AIRSPACE RECONFIGN GIVING US MORE AIRSPACE IN SECTOR 58 TO THE E OF ST. LOUIS (ABOUT 100 MI E). ON THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT WE HAD ICING CONDITIONS AT 4000 FT AND UP TO 8000 FT. MOST LIGHT ACFT WERE STAYING DOWN AT 3000 FT. I COULD NOT TALK TO ANY OF THE ACFT STAYING DOWN AND HAD TO RESORT TO RELAYING MESSAGES THROUGH OTHER ACFT AND OTHER CTLRS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB SINCE RECONFIGN. IT CAN BE SOLVED BY EITHER GOING BACK TO THE OLD AIRSPACE OR RELOCATING THE RADIO SITES TO ACCOMMODATE THE AIRSPACE.

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.