Narrative:

I had requested climb from FL280 to FL330 at stevn. Later at bakon, I made a position report and sfo radio read back my position report and stated cleared to FL330. I had not requested FL330 since my first request at stevn. The HF radio reception was marginal, so we requested that sfo radio confirm 'cleared to FL330.' he stated cleared to FL330. We read back the clearance, 'cleared to FL330.' about 10 mins later, the captain reported to sfo radio, 'level at FL330.' a few mins later, sfo radio called and asked us to confirm level FL360. We stated, 'negative, we are level FL330.' a few mins later sfo radio called back and asked when did we receive a clearance to FL330. We stated at bakon at approximately PM40Z. A few mins later, we were told that oakland had never received a clearance and that we were to call them when on the ground. Probable cause: poor HF radio reception may have caused a communication problem. Supplemental information from acn 362540: due to static on both HF frequency we had had problems with air-ground communications during first part of flight. We acknowledged leaving FL280 for FL330. I reported level at FL330, due to the copilot being busy. Shortly thereafter, sfo radio called back to say he had us at FL360. We stated we were at FL330. Sfo radio then called back and said oakland now cleared us at FL330, but no original clearance had been given to FL330 and to call oakland oceanic supervisor when able. Poor radio reception for both aircraft and ground, each asking a question that was answered with a reference to FL330 was an underlying cause. Supplemental information from acn 362541: my impression is that we were cleared by mistake by sfo radio. It seems odd to me that both the captain and first officer mistook the radio call. However, we are using very old technology that is poor at best -- HF radio. I can receive live tv coverage on any of a hundred channels from any point on the globe, yet we are flying passenger across the pacific in uncontrolled airspace using wwii technology handed down from the controling agency -- where are our priorities! In the future, I will try to listen (best as I can) to all radio xmissions. I usually listen to all calls, but was not as attentive on this call because it was initially a position report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB HAD ASKED FOR FL330 ON PREVIOUS POS RPT AT FL280. AT NEXT POS RPT SFO RADIO GAVE WHAT WAS INTERPRETED AS CLRNC TO FL330. FLC CONFIRMED WITH A REPEAT CLRNC FROM SFO AND THEN CLBED TO FL330. RPTING IN LEVEL, SFO RADIO PAUSED AND AFTER CHKING WITH ZOA, STATED THAT THE CLRNC TO FL330 WAS NEVER ISSUED BY CTR CTLR.

Narrative: I HAD REQUESTED CLB FROM FL280 TO FL330 AT STEVN. LATER AT BAKON, I MADE A POS RPT AND SFO RADIO READ BACK MY POS RPT AND STATED CLRED TO FL330. I HAD NOT REQUESTED FL330 SINCE MY FIRST REQUEST AT STEVN. THE HF RADIO RECEPTION WAS MARGINAL, SO WE REQUESTED THAT SFO RADIO CONFIRM 'CLRED TO FL330.' HE STATED CLRED TO FL330. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC, 'CLRED TO FL330.' ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, THE CAPT RPTED TO SFO RADIO, 'LEVEL AT FL330.' A FEW MINS LATER, SFO RADIO CALLED AND ASKED US TO CONFIRM LEVEL FL360. WE STATED, 'NEGATIVE, WE ARE LEVEL FL330.' A FEW MINS LATER SFO RADIO CALLED BACK AND ASKED WHEN DID WE RECEIVE A CLRNC TO FL330. WE STATED AT BAKON AT APPROX PM40Z. A FEW MINS LATER, WE WERE TOLD THAT OAKLAND HAD NEVER RECEIVED A CLRNC AND THAT WE WERE TO CALL THEM WHEN ON THE GND. PROBABLE CAUSE: POOR HF RADIO RECEPTION MAY HAVE CAUSED A COM PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 362540: DUE TO STATIC ON BOTH HF FREQ WE HAD HAD PROBS WITH AIR-GND COMS DURING FIRST PART OF FLT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED LEAVING FL280 FOR FL330. I RPTED LEVEL AT FL330, DUE TO THE COPLT BEING BUSY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SFO RADIO CALLED BACK TO SAY HE HAD US AT FL360. WE STATED WE WERE AT FL330. SFO RADIO THEN CALLED BACK AND SAID OAKLAND NOW CLRED US AT FL330, BUT NO ORIGINAL CLRNC HAD BEEN GIVEN TO FL330 AND TO CALL OAKLAND OCEANIC SUPVR WHEN ABLE. POOR RADIO RECEPTION FOR BOTH ACFT AND GND, EACH ASKING A QUESTION THAT WAS ANSWERED WITH A REF TO FL330 WAS AN UNDERLYING CAUSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 362541: MY IMPRESSION IS THAT WE WERE CLRED BY MISTAKE BY SFO RADIO. IT SEEMS ODD TO ME THAT BOTH THE CAPT AND FO MISTOOK THE RADIO CALL. HOWEVER, WE ARE USING VERY OLD TECHNOLOGY THAT IS POOR AT BEST -- HF RADIO. I CAN RECEIVE LIVE TV COVERAGE ON ANY OF A HUNDRED CHANNELS FROM ANY POINT ON THE GLOBE, YET WE ARE FLYING PAX ACROSS THE PACIFIC IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE USING WWII TECHNOLOGY HANDED DOWN FROM THE CTLING AGENCY -- WHERE ARE OUR PRIORITIES! IN THE FUTURE, I WILL TRY TO LISTEN (BEST AS I CAN) TO ALL RADIO XMISSIONS. I USUALLY LISTEN TO ALL CALLS, BUT WAS NOT AS ATTENTIVE ON THIS CALL BECAUSE IT WAS INITIALLY A POS RPT.

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.