ATC equipment problem communication frequency 132 pt 8 unreadable.

Attributes
ACN	315158
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab
State Reference	NM
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	315158
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:

A frequency problem is ongoing here at ZAB. Frequency 132.8/346.35 has been unacceptable for as long as I can remember. About 2 yrs ago, a ucr was filed on the frequencys. The frequencys are being worked on 'they' say but I feel they are unsafe and I'm afraid it will take an incident or accident to fix the transmitter and receiver problems we have. Today we were very busy with a good mix of traffic (IFR/VFR/military) and every received transmission was scratchy and mostly unreadable. In an environment where accurate readbacks/hearbacks are imperative, poor frequencys create an unsafe condition. Also, along human factors lines, the stress and frustration created by this ongoing frequency problem is detrimental to doing my job. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was informed this item (frequency problems at ZAB) has been the subject of a telecon and FYI to the facility. Reporter stated the facility seems to be trying to correct the problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM FREQ 132 PT 8 UNREADABLE.

Narrative: A FREQ PROB IS ONGOING HERE AT ZAB. FREQ 132.8/346.35 HAS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. ABOUT 2 YRS AGO, A UCR WAS FILED ON THE FREQS. THE FREQS ARE BEING WORKED ON 'THEY' SAY BUT I FEEL THEY ARE UNSAFE AND I'M AFRAID IT WILL TAKE AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT TO FIX THE XMITTER AND RECEIVER PROBS WE HAVE. TODAY WE WERE VERY BUSY WITH A GOOD MIX OF TFC (IFR/VFR/MIL) AND EVERY RECEIVED XMISSION WAS SCRATCHY AND MOSTLY UNREADABLE. IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ACCURATE READBACKS/HEARBACKS ARE IMPERATIVE, POOR FREQS CREATE AN UNSAFE CONDITION. ALSO, ALONG HUMAN FACTORS LINES, THE STRESS AND FRUSTRATION CREATED BY THIS ONGOING FREQ PROB IS DETRIMENTAL TO DOING MY JOB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS INFORMED THIS ITEM (FREQ PROBS AT ZAB) HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A TELECON AND FYI TO THE FACILITY. RPTR STATED THE FACILITY SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBS.

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.