An small transport pilot reports that he had trouble communicating with a temporary tower.

Attributes
ACN	256142
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ism
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ism
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	256142
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Kissimmee had a temporary ground and tower set up for the airshow which was to begin the next day. We contacted ground, taxied to runway 15, but could not make any contact directly with the temporary tower at the end of 15 (we could hear the tower, but they couldn't hear us). We relayed through a third party that we wanted to depart 15. They responded to the third party that we could takeoff, but that it would be at our risk. We departed with no further problems. Upon returning to kissimmee later in the afternoon, we were told by several people who were monitoring the frequency that they could hear our xmissions clearly. The consensus of opinion, was that the tower had been erected and immediately put into operation, without having been tested. Suggestion: test temporary towers from all locations on the airport before activating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT PLT RPTS THAT HE HAD TROUBLE COMMUNICATING WITH A TEMPORARY TWR.

Narrative: KISSIMMEE HAD A TEMPORARY GND AND TWR SET UP FOR THE AIRSHOW WHICH WAS TO BEGIN THE NEXT DAY. WE CONTACTED GND, TAXIED TO RWY 15, BUT COULD NOT MAKE ANY CONTACT DIRECTLY WITH THE TEMPORARY TWR AT THE END OF 15 (WE COULD HEAR THE TWR, BUT THEY COULDN'T HEAR US). WE RELAYED THROUGH A THIRD PARTY THAT WE WANTED TO DEPART 15. THEY RESPONDED TO THE THIRD PARTY THAT WE COULD TKOF, BUT THAT IT WOULD BE AT OUR RISK. WE DEPARTED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. UPON RETURNING TO KISSIMMEE LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, WE WERE TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WERE MONITORING THE FREQ THAT THEY COULD HEAR OUR XMISSIONS CLRLY. THE CONSENSUS OF OPINION, WAS THAT THE TWR HAD BEEN ERECTED AND IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO OP, WITHOUT HAVING BEEN TESTED. SUGGESTION: TEST TEMPORARY TWRS FROM ALL LOCATIONS ON THE ARPT BEFORE ACTIVATING.

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.