Narrative:

The frequency problems at spokane tower have been ongoing for a number of yrs. Regardless of what is said, reported or documented, it never gets any better. As a matter of fact, this problem is getting worse. There are more problems than just this list, but this should give you an idea of the ongoing problems we face day to day. When radio problems are reported, comments from responsible af technicians are insulting and absurd. I read in a letter that the problem is RF energy and we should keep aircraft as far away from mica and brownes mountains as possible, especially if communications are required. This even presents more of a problem as mica peak is right in the middle of our arrival corridor for the majority of arriving aircraft from the east of spokane. Additionally, brownes mountain is right on final for aircraft landing runway 25 and for aircraft on a left base to runway 21 and runway 23 at ska. The majority of the time we land runway 21/25 and runway 23 at ska. Logs and official documents will support my concerns that the transmitters and receivers on frequencys 124.7, 124.3, 348.9 and 263.0 are frequently intermittent or unusable for periods of several seconds. Because of the uncertainty of the radios, it is necessary at times to have aircraft identify if they have received our control instruction. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this is still a problem. Has heard that airway facilities is planning on swapping frequencys in april, but don't think that will solve the problems. Reporter has not received any response back from the ucr. Supervisor concurs with the ucr. Not sure how facility manager feels about it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATES THAT XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS ARE INTERMITTENT OR UNUSABLE.

Narrative: THE FREQ PROBS AT SPOKANE TWR HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR A NUMBER OF YRS. REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS SAID, RPTED OR DOCUMENTED, IT NEVER GETS ANY BETTER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS PROB IS GETTING WORSE. THERE ARE MORE PROBS THAN JUST THIS LIST, BUT THIS SHOULD GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE ONGOING PROBS WE FACE DAY TO DAY. WHEN RADIO PROBS ARE REPORTED, COMMENTS FROM RESPONSIBLE AF TECHNICIANS ARE INSULTING AND ABSURD. I READ IN A LETTER THAT THE PROB IS RF ENERGY AND WE SHOULD KEEP ACFT AS FAR AWAY FROM MICA AND BROWNES MOUNTAINS AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF COMS ARE REQUIRED. THIS EVEN PRESENTS MORE OF A PROB AS MICA PEAK IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ARR CORRIDOR FOR THE MAJORITY OF ARRIVING ACFT FROM THE E OF SPOKANE. ADDITIONALLY, BROWNES MOUNTAIN IS RIGHT ON FINAL FOR ACFT LNDG RWY 25 AND FOR ACFT ON A L BASE TO RWY 21 AND RWY 23 AT SKA. THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WE LAND RWY 21/25 AND RWY 23 AT SKA. LOGS AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS WILL SUPPORT MY CONCERNS THAT THE XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS ON FREQS 124.7, 124.3, 348.9 AND 263.0 ARE FREQUENTLY INTERMITTENT OR UNUSABLE FOR PERIODS OF SEVERAL SECONDS. BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE RADIOS, IT IS NECESSARY AT TIMES TO HAVE ACFT IDENT IF THEY HAVE RECEIVED OUR CTL INSTRUCTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS STILL A PROB. HAS HEARD THAT AIRWAY FACILITIES IS PLANNING ON SWAPPING FREQS IN APRIL, BUT DON'T THINK THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBS. RPTR HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE BACK FROM THE UCR. SUPVR CONCURS WITH THE UCR. NOT SURE HOW FACILITY MGR FEELS ABOUT IT.

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.