Intermittent frequency problems cause controller to miss pilot transmission.

Attributes
ACN	254492
Time
Date	199310
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	254492
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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:

Frequencys 133.45/269.3 -- 132.9/390.3 new bedford site. For the past 6 months they have been turned into management to get fixed. Controller has to rechk all clrncs because receivers don't pick up all xmissions. When you hear a pilot's xmissions it sounds like 3 aircraft talking at once. On this night it was a slow flow outbound and it caused the work level to be very difficult due to several clrncs being repeated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter says there are 2 sectors involved. Cape sector, also known as sector 18, and nantucket sector, known as sector 17. Frequency 132.9 is cape, and 133.45 belongs to nantucket. Reporter doesn't think that UHF frequencys are impacted, only the VHF. The area affected is about 30 mi east of hto and extends to about 15 mi east of sey, and primarily at 110 through FL280. However, another reporter indented the same problem at FL350. The aircraft involved are normally jfk departures going out to the ocean. Reporter states that this is still happening. Worked shift last night and had the same problem. Says there was almost an incident. Facility aware of problem and airways facilities working on it. Has been ongoing since last aug. Thinks a ucr was filed, but not sure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INTERMITTENT FREQ PROBS CAUSE CTLR TO MISS PLT XMISSION.

Narrative: FREQS 133.45/269.3 -- 132.9/390.3 NEW BEDFORD SITE. FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS THEY HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO MGMNT TO GET FIXED. CTLR HAS TO RECHK ALL CLRNCS BECAUSE RECEIVERS DON'T PICK UP ALL XMISSIONS. WHEN YOU HEAR A PLT'S XMISSIONS IT SOUNDS LIKE 3 ACFT TALKING AT ONCE. ON THIS NIGHT IT WAS A SLOW FLOW OUTBOUND AND IT CAUSED THE WORK LEVEL TO BE VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO SEVERAL CLRNCS BEING REPEATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAYS THERE ARE 2 SECTORS INVOLVED. CAPE SECTOR, ALSO KNOWN AS SECTOR 18, AND NANTUCKET SECTOR, KNOWN AS SECTOR 17. FREQ 132.9 IS CAPE, AND 133.45 BELONGS TO NANTUCKET. RPTR DOESN'T THINK THAT UHF FREQS ARE IMPACTED, ONLY THE VHF. THE AREA AFFECTED IS ABOUT 30 MI E OF HTO AND EXTENDS TO ABOUT 15 MI E OF SEY, AND PRIMARILY AT 110 THROUGH FL280. HOWEVER, ANOTHER RPTR INDENTED THE SAME PROB AT FL350. THE ACFT INVOLVED ARE NORMALLY JFK DEPS GOING OUT TO THE OCEAN. RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS STILL HAPPENING. WORKED SHIFT LAST NIGHT AND HAD THE SAME PROB. SAYS THERE WAS ALMOST AN INCIDENT. FACILITY AWARE OF PROB AND AIRWAYS FACILITIES WORKING ON IT. HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE LAST AUG. THINKS A UCR WAS FILED, BUT NOT SURE.

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.