ATC equipment problem radio frequency unusable.

Attributes
ACN	264742
Time
Date	199403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	264742
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
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Slightly over one yr ago I filed an ASRS report on the same problem. ATC administration, in reaction to NASA input, tried to change the frequency but ended up with worse problems. Then they were supposed to install frequency filters to eliminate the interference. To this date, problems still exist with no help in sight. The blufton super high altitude sector frequency is 133.52. This frequency has a history of interference heard by pilots at all altitudes. The interference at times is so strong as to block ATC xmissions, as was the case today. Air carrier X en route to yyz was at FL370. The adjacent super high sector which air carrier X was to enter next requested I descend air carrier X to FL350 for traffic. It took no less than 4 transmission and a frequency change to get the clearance to the pilot. This is unsafe. Another company flight on frequency at the same time was also complaining and had to be changed to another frequency. There have been days the sector is closed because the interference is so bad. Several controllers believe the interference is caused by 133.37 which is the lorain sector which is adjacent both physically and airspace wise to blufton. The airways facility people are no help. They just keep asking for frequency interference forms to be filed out, but do nothing to resolve the issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADIO FREQ UNUSABLE.

Narrative: SLIGHTLY OVER ONE YR AGO I FILED AN ASRS RPT ON THE SAME PROB. ATC ADMINISTRATION, IN REACTION TO NASA INPUT, TRIED TO CHANGE THE FREQ BUT ENDED UP WITH WORSE PROBS. THEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO INSTALL FREQ FILTERS TO ELIMINATE THE INTERFERENCE. TO THIS DATE, PROBS STILL EXIST WITH NO HELP IN SIGHT. THE BLUFTON SUPER HIGH ALT SECTOR FREQ IS 133.52. THIS FREQ HAS A HISTORY OF INTERFERENCE HEARD BY PLTS AT ALL ALTS. THE INTERFERENCE AT TIMES IS SO STRONG AS TO BLOCK ATC XMISSIONS, AS WAS THE CASE TODAY. ACR X ENRTE TO YYZ WAS AT FL370. THE ADJACENT SUPER HIGH SECTOR WHICH ACR X WAS TO ENTER NEXT REQUESTED I DSND ACR X TO FL350 FOR TFC. IT TOOK NO LESS THAN 4 XMISSION AND A FREQ CHANGE TO GET THE CLRNC TO THE PLT. THIS IS UNSAFE. ANOTHER COMPANY FLT ON FREQ AT THE SAME TIME WAS ALSO COMPLAINING AND HAD TO BE CHANGED TO ANOTHER FREQ. THERE HAVE BEEN DAYS THE SECTOR IS CLOSED BECAUSE THE INTERFERENCE IS SO BAD. SEVERAL CTLRS BELIEVE THE INTERFERENCE IS CAUSED BY 133.37 WHICH IS THE LORAIN SECTOR WHICH IS ADJACENT BOTH PHYSICALLY AND AIRSPACE WISE TO BLUFTON. THE AIRWAYS FACILITY PEOPLE ARE NO HELP. THEY JUST KEEP ASKING FOR FREQ INTERFERENCE FORMS TO BE FILED OUT, BUT DO NOTHING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

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.