ATC equipment problem communication frequency 134.15 intermittently unusable below 15000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	270620
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 15000
Aircraft 1
Route In Use	enroute airway : zoa
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	270620
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

On apr/xx/94, oak sector 35 (offshore radar, sfo and westward) reported they were unable to read sfo departures on frequency 134.15 below 14000 ft. A trouble log was eventually started. This problem affects flts departing sfo and oak for hawaii and on the offshore departure to southern cal and mexico. We are unable to read initial contacts from flts climbing out, or receive readbacks on clrncs are often used to provide position separation between successive departures. As of may/xx/94, the problem has gotten no better. This is an ongoing problem which there have been numerous attempts to fly all unsuccessful. Requested an unacceptable condition report form, which the area manager in charge refused to provide. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: ZOA supervisor stated this is an intermittent problem. A trouble log is still ongoing, but maintenance has been unable to correct the frequency problem on 134.15 at sector 35.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM FREQ 134.15 INTERMITTENTLY UNUSABLE BELOW 15000 FT.

Narrative: ON APR/XX/94, OAK SECTOR 35 (OFFSHORE RADAR, SFO AND WESTWARD) RPTED THEY WERE UNABLE TO READ SFO DEPS ON FREQ 134.15 BELOW 14000 FT. A TROUBLE LOG WAS EVENTUALLY STARTED. THIS PROB AFFECTS FLTS DEPARTING SFO AND OAK FOR HAWAII AND ON THE OFFSHORE DEP TO SOUTHERN CAL AND MEXICO. WE ARE UNABLE TO READ INITIAL CONTACTS FROM FLTS CLBING OUT, OR RECEIVE READBACKS ON CLRNCS ARE OFTEN USED TO PROVIDE POS SEPARATION BTWN SUCCESSIVE DEPS. AS OF MAY/XX/94, THE PROB HAS GOTTEN NO BETTER. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB WHICH THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO FLY ALL UNSUCCESSFUL. REQUESTED AN UNACCEPTABLE CONDITION RPT FORM, WHICH THE AREA MGR IN CHARGE REFUSED TO PROVIDE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ZOA SUPVR STATED THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROB. A TROUBLE LOG IS STILL ONGOING, BUT MAINT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FREQ PROB ON 134.15 AT SECTOR 35.

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.