Narrative:

I was leading a 4 ship of F16's, call sign west, as the trailing flight, air refueling in AR648B. Because of WX, we had requested and received a refueling block of 16000 ft through FL200. We had 10 F16's led by X, refueling with Y and Z. At the completion of air refueling, we switched to assigned UHF frequency of 363.15, ZLC to pick up our IFR clearance to depart and head towards the low level route. We attempted radio contact on 2 frequencys for almost 10 mins with no luck or response from ZLC. In the meantime, salt lake cleared the 2 tankers out of the track for recovery to home station. X gave our end of air refueling request to the tankers who relayed to ZLC. X left frequency first and picked up his clearance. V then switched and picked up a 20 mi trail on X. I was in close (1 NM) radar trail with V since we had the refueling block of 16000 ft to FL200 and could not make radio contact, we canceled IFR clearance in the block below FL180 and in the blind. The controller either had UHF turned down or we were in a blind spot. He began to call when we were at 13000 ft descending and asked how we departed the class a (positive control area). We stated that we have been calling him for 10 mins and heard him fine. I asked for a phone number to call him, again with no response other than a diatribe on how he has never seen a 'refueling operation like this in his 13 yrs of air traffic control.' I feel strongly that he had UHF turned down due to VHF saturation. We had a block below the positive control area and canceled since we could not follow the tankers home. No conflict existed and we legally canceled IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEADER OF FLT OF 4 F16'S HAS COM PROB WITH CTR. DSNDS BELOW FL180 TO CANCEL IFR.

Narrative: I WAS LEADING A 4 SHIP OF F16'S, CALL SIGN W, AS THE TRAILING FLT, AIR REFUELING IN AR648B. BECAUSE OF WX, WE HAD REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A REFUELING BLOCK OF 16000 FT THROUGH FL200. WE HAD 10 F16'S LED BY X, REFUELING WITH Y AND Z. AT THE COMPLETION OF AIR REFUELING, WE SWITCHED TO ASSIGNED UHF FREQ OF 363.15, ZLC TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC TO DEPART AND HEAD TOWARDS THE LOW LEVEL RTE. WE ATTEMPTED RADIO CONTACT ON 2 FREQS FOR ALMOST 10 MINS WITH NO LUCK OR RESPONSE FROM ZLC. IN THE MEANTIME, SALT LAKE CLRED THE 2 TANKERS OUT OF THE TRACK FOR RECOVERY TO HOME STATION. X GAVE OUR END OF AIR REFUELING REQUEST TO THE TANKERS WHO RELAYED TO ZLC. X LEFT FREQ FIRST AND PICKED UP HIS CLRNC. V THEN SWITCHED AND PICKED UP A 20 MI TRAIL ON X. I WAS IN CLOSE (1 NM) RADAR TRAIL WITH V SINCE WE HAD THE REFUELING BLOCK OF 16000 FT TO FL200 AND COULD NOT MAKE RADIO CONTACT, WE CANCELED IFR CLRNC IN THE BLOCK BELOW FL180 AND IN THE BLIND. THE CTLR EITHER HAD UHF TURNED DOWN OR WE WERE IN A BLIND SPOT. HE BEGAN TO CALL WHEN WE WERE AT 13000 FT DSNDING AND ASKED HOW WE DEPARTED THE CLASS A (PCA). WE STATED THAT WE HAVE BEEN CALLING HIM FOR 10 MINS AND HEARD HIM FINE. I ASKED FOR A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL HIM, AGAIN WITH NO RESPONSE OTHER THAN A DIATRIBE ON HOW HE HAS NEVER SEEN A 'REFUELING OP LIKE THIS IN HIS 13 YRS OF AIR TFC CTL.' I FEEL STRONGLY THAT HE HAD UHF TURNED DOWN DUE TO VHF SATURATION. WE HAD A BLOCK BELOW THE PCA AND CANCELED SINCE WE COULD NOT FOLLOW THE TANKERS HOME. NO CONFLICT EXISTED AND WE LEGALLY CANCELED IFR.

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.