Narrative:

Approaching runway 3R for takeoff we were advised to contact tower on 128.75. As B757 landed we were cleared into position to hold with a commuter on 4 mi final. We watched the B757 clear runway. I had engine power partly applied but heard no clearance for takeoff. I could see aircraft approaching from behind on TCASII. We called tower and got no answer. We tried the other tower frequency on radio #2 and advised them we could not hear tower on 128.75. We did this as I vacated the runway. While this was taking place the commuter went around. As we cleared the runway we could again hear tower on 128.75. We explained the situation and were told no problem and were subsequently cleared for takeoff. Several yrs ago we went through this same problem at dtw on runway 3C. I don't remember the frequency, but when our tail was turned away from the tower we could not hear the tower. This is the only airport I go to that we lose radio contact with tower on the runway. I did not know this problem still existed in dtw. I will set tower frequency in communication #2 in the future but I am not certain it will help. It is not an aircraft problem. I feel it is a blind spot. I don't know what the corrective action was on runway 3C but we need it for runway 3R. I am thankful it was VFR and the commuter could see us sitting on the runway. It is definitely a safety problem. I made a PIREP to tower after we departed and we were above 10000 ft. The tower controller said she remembered the problem on runway 3C but this was the first time she was aware of the problem on runway 3R. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: I contacted the facility quality assurance staff member for more information. Quality assurance is unaware of any frequency blind spot on any of the runways. Reporter said that all transmitters are at the same site location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 LOST COM WITH LCL CTLR WHILE IN POS ON THE RWY. ACFT VACATED RWY WHILE MAKING CONTACT WITH TWR ON RADIO #2 TO INFORM THEM OF COM PROB ON THE LCL CTLR FREQ. COMMUTER ACFT ON FINAL WENT AROUND.

Narrative: APCHING RWY 3R FOR TKOF WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT TWR ON 128.75. AS B757 LANDED WE WERE CLRED INTO POS TO HOLD WITH A COMMUTER ON 4 MI FINAL. WE WATCHED THE B757 CLR RWY. I HAD ENG PWR PARTLY APPLIED BUT HEARD NO CLRNC FOR TKOF. I COULD SEE ACFT APCHING FROM BEHIND ON TCASII. WE CALLED TWR AND GOT NO ANSWER. WE TRIED THE OTHER TWR FREQ ON RADIO #2 AND ADVISED THEM WE COULD NOT HEAR TWR ON 128.75. WE DID THIS AS I VACATED THE RWY. WHILE THIS WAS TAKING PLACE THE COMMUTER WENT AROUND. AS WE CLRED THE RWY WE COULD AGAIN HEAR TWR ON 128.75. WE EXPLAINED THE SIT AND WERE TOLD NO PROB AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF. SEVERAL YRS AGO WE WENT THROUGH THIS SAME PROB AT DTW ON RWY 3C. I DON'T REMEMBER THE FREQ, BUT WHEN OUR TAIL WAS TURNED AWAY FROM THE TWR WE COULD NOT HEAR THE TWR. THIS IS THE ONLY ARPT I GO TO THAT WE LOSE RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR ON THE RWY. I DID NOT KNOW THIS PROB STILL EXISTED IN DTW. I WILL SET TWR FREQ IN COM #2 IN THE FUTURE BUT I AM NOT CERTAIN IT WILL HELP. IT IS NOT AN ACFT PROB. I FEEL IT IS A BLIND SPOT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS ON RWY 3C BUT WE NEED IT FOR RWY 3R. I AM THANKFUL IT WAS VFR AND THE COMMUTER COULD SEE US SITTING ON THE RWY. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROB. I MADE A PIREP TO TWR AFTER WE DEPARTED AND WE WERE ABOVE 10000 FT. THE TWR CTLR SAID SHE REMEMBERED THE PROB ON RWY 3C BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS AWARE OF THE PROB ON RWY 3R. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: I CONTACTED THE FACILITY QUALITY ASSURANCE STAFF MEMBER FOR MORE INFO. QUALITY ASSURANCE IS UNAWARE OF ANY FREQ BLIND SPOT ON ANY OF THE RWYS. RPTR SAID THAT ALL XMITTERS ARE AT THE SAME SITE LOCATION.

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.