Narrative:

Inside marker denver runway 35L. ATIS reporting 7000 ft overcast 10 mi still in clouds. Tower reported 2200 ft RVR. Asked for ceiling and they said maybe 2200 ft, if we wanted WX report to listen to new ATIS. ATIS was computer garbled and would take several mins to get WX, all this inside OM and we were below 1500 ft AGL when we were given the choice to find out WX. ATIS WX was given as 7000 ft overcast 10 mi and actual was about 200-300 ft overcast and 2200 ft RVR. No excuse for ATC to withhold such a major change in WX from crews. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that things are becoming almost adversarial with ATC when they keep referring the flcs to an ATIS that is unreadable, and when inside the OM. He feels this major WX change requires a direct update. He had similar treatment in atl when there were shifting winds and he requested wind information. He was again referred to the ATIS. Reporter says the crew must listen 3-4 times to the ATIS and then they are not sure if their interpretation is correct. Wiskey ATIS comes out as wiki, with many other strange words. Reporter states this computer voice is such poor quality it seems that it would have to be deliberate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLC HAS DIFFICULTY ACQUIRING ACCURATE WX INFO DUE TO UNREADABLE COMPUTER ATIS VOICE AND LACK OF ASSISTANCE FROM ATC.

Narrative: INSIDE MARKER DENVER RWY 35L. ATIS RPTING 7000 FT OVCST 10 MI STILL IN CLOUDS. TWR RPTED 2200 FT RVR. ASKED FOR CEILING AND THEY SAID MAYBE 2200 FT, IF WE WANTED WX RPT TO LISTEN TO NEW ATIS. ATIS WAS COMPUTER GARBLED AND WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MINS TO GET WX, ALL THIS INSIDE OM AND WE WERE BELOW 1500 FT AGL WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE CHOICE TO FIND OUT WX. ATIS WX WAS GIVEN AS 7000 FT OVCST 10 MI AND ACTUAL WAS ABOUT 200-300 FT OVCST AND 2200 FT RVR. NO EXCUSE FOR ATC TO WITHHOLD SUCH A MAJOR CHANGE IN WX FROM CREWS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THINGS ARE BECOMING ALMOST ADVERSARIAL WITH ATC WHEN THEY KEEP REFERRING THE FLCS TO AN ATIS THAT IS UNREADABLE, AND WHEN INSIDE THE OM. HE FEELS THIS MAJOR WX CHANGE REQUIRES A DIRECT UPDATE. HE HAD SIMILAR TREATMENT IN ATL WHEN THERE WERE SHIFTING WINDS AND HE REQUESTED WIND INFO. HE WAS AGAIN REFERRED TO THE ATIS. RPTR SAYS THE CREW MUST LISTEN 3-4 TIMES TO THE ATIS AND THEN THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THEIR INTERP IS CORRECT. WISKEY ATIS COMES OUT AS WIKI, WITH MANY OTHER STRANGE WORDS. RPTR STATES THIS COMPUTER VOICE IS SUCH POOR QUALITY IT SEEMS THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DELIBERATE.

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.