Narrative:

Air carrier X from slc to den, cleared to operate on J56 (slc 078 degree radial, che 263 degree radial). The distance between slc and che is 214 NM with no designated changeover point. During climb out after intercepting and tracking the slc 078 degree radial we lost contact with slc VOR and were unable to use it for navigation at about 60 DME from slc. Loss of contact with slc VOR invariably occurs west of the 1/2 way point on this segment of J56 due to interference from the wasatch mountains east of slc. The only other NAVAID available to define the airway was che. I tuned and idented che and intercepted the 263 degree radial inbound to che. At about 130 NM from che, ZLC called and asked 'what are your intentions.' since we had no indication as yet that anything was amiss, my first officer asked what he meant. The controller replied that we were '10 mi left of course and diverging.' I then responded that we had lost contact with slc VOR and were tracking inbound on the che 263 degree radial. His only reply was 'I say again, you're 10 mi left of course and diverging.' he seemed to be in a rather uncompromising, unhelpful mood, so I just replied that we would turn back to the right. Since we heard no more from him, I assumed our modified track satisfied him. I realized later, however, that I had no idea how much farther to the right I should have gone, since my navaids indicated I was on centerline when the controller insisted we were off course. I should have requested a heading from the controller. I also believe the controller should have offered a heading when I told him our navaids indicated we were on course. His response did not foster the cooperation necessary for safety on the airways. To avoid the situation in the future, however, a changeover point which allows switching to che prior to losing slc should be designated on J56 between slc and che vors. Radials and center controllers' radar displays should be adjusted accordingly. As currently published, airway charts suggest that aircraft can receive slc VOR 107 NM to the east of slc which is impossible due to the wasatch mountains. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility procedure specialist stated the controller area chart shows a reception gap in the area described by the reporter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VOR RECEPTION PROB ACR X RECEIVED CLRNC BELOW MEA UNABLE TO NAV ON SLC VOR.

Narrative: ACR X FROM SLC TO DEN, CLRED TO OPERATE ON J56 (SLC 078 DEG RADIAL, CHE 263 DEG RADIAL). THE DISTANCE BTWN SLC AND CHE IS 214 NM WITH NO DESIGNATED CHANGEOVER POINT. DURING CLBOUT AFTER INTERCEPTING AND TRACKING THE SLC 078 DEG RADIAL WE LOST CONTACT WITH SLC VOR AND WERE UNABLE TO USE IT FOR NAV AT ABOUT 60 DME FROM SLC. LOSS OF CONTACT WITH SLC VOR INVARIABLY OCCURS W OF THE 1/2 WAY POINT ON THIS SEGMENT OF J56 DUE TO INTERFERENCE FROM THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS E OF SLC. THE ONLY OTHER NAVAID AVAILABLE TO DEFINE THE AIRWAY WAS CHE. I TUNED AND IDENTED CHE AND INTERCEPTED THE 263 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO CHE. AT ABOUT 130 NM FROM CHE, ZLC CALLED AND ASKED 'WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS.' SINCE WE HAD NO INDICATION AS YET THAT ANYTHING WAS AMISS, MY FO ASKED WHAT HE MEANT. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT WE WERE '10 MI L OF COURSE AND DIVERGING.' I THEN RESPONDED THAT WE HAD LOST CONTACT WITH SLC VOR AND WERE TRACKING INBOUND ON THE CHE 263 DEG RADIAL. HIS ONLY REPLY WAS 'I SAY AGAIN, YOU'RE 10 MI L OF COURSE AND DIVERGING.' HE SEEMED TO BE IN A RATHER UNCOMPROMISING, UNHELPFUL MOOD, SO I JUST REPLIED THAT WE WOULD TURN BACK TO THE R. SINCE WE HEARD NO MORE FROM HIM, I ASSUMED OUR MODIFIED TRACK SATISFIED HIM. I REALIZED LATER, HOWEVER, THAT I HAD NO IDEA HOW MUCH FARTHER TO THE R I SHOULD HAVE GONE, SINCE MY NAVAIDS INDICATED I WAS ON CTRLINE WHEN THE CTLR INSISTED WE WERE OFF COURSE. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A HDG FROM THE CTLR. I ALSO BELIEVE THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE OFFERED A HDG WHEN I TOLD HIM OUR NAVAIDS INDICATED WE WERE ON COURSE. HIS RESPONSE DID NOT FOSTER THE COOPERATION NECESSARY FOR SAFETY ON THE AIRWAYS. TO AVOID THE SIT IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER, A CHANGEOVER POINT WHICH ALLOWS SWITCHING TO CHE PRIOR TO LOSING SLC SHOULD BE DESIGNATED ON J56 BTWN SLC AND CHE VORS. RADIALS AND CTR CTLRS' RADAR DISPLAYS SHOULD BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. AS CURRENTLY PUBLISHED, AIRWAY CHARTS SUGGEST THAT ACFT CAN RECEIVE SLC VOR 107 NM TO THE E OF SLC WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY PROC SPECIALIST STATED THE CTLR AREA CHART SHOWS A RECEPTION GAP IN THE AREA DESCRIBED BY THE RPTR.

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.