Narrative:

In cruise at FL310 wbound on ub-1 approaching wallasey VOR, we started to pick up static and then an ATIS broadcast on #1 VHF communication. I switched to london control on 131.05. They indicated they had been trying to contact us for some time. We had been cleared direct goles intersection, then flight plan route by london control and shortly after that given a frequency change. I acknowledged the switch. The new frequency was initially congested, so I went back to the task of verifying waypoints in the INS. It was either a wrong frequency or I dialed it in incorrectly and apparently never checked in. It sounded like a normal ATC until the static and then ATIS. Supplemental information from acn 367930: I also had to accomplish the INS navigation accuracy check passing over wal VOR because I was expecting a direct clearance from wal to the oceanic entry point (which was what we received) and an accuracy check of the INS is required before proceeding in mnps airspace. I was engrossed in working with INS and did not hear the first officer miss a frequency change or fail to check in on the new frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L1011-500 MAINTAINING FL310 WAS UPDATING INS FOR OVERWATER ROUTING AND MISSED A FREQ CHANGE NEAR WAL VOR. ABLE TO ESTABLISH COM WITH CTR BY REF TO THE AERO CHART.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL310 WBOUND ON UB-1 APCHING WALLASEY VOR, WE STARTED TO PICK UP STATIC AND THEN AN ATIS BROADCAST ON #1 VHF COM. I SWITCHED TO LONDON CTL ON 131.05. THEY INDICATED THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT US FOR SOME TIME. WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT GOLES INTXN, THEN FLT PLAN RTE BY LONDON CTL AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE SWITCH. THE NEW FREQ WAS INITIALLY CONGESTED, SO I WENT BACK TO THE TASK OF VERIFYING WAYPOINTS IN THE INS. IT WAS EITHER A WRONG FREQ OR I DIALED IT IN INCORRECTLY AND APPARENTLY NEVER CHKED IN. IT SOUNDED LIKE A NORMAL ATC UNTIL THE STATIC AND THEN ATIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 367930: I ALSO HAD TO ACCOMPLISH THE INS NAV ACCURACY CHK PASSING OVER WAL VOR BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING A DIRECT CLRNC FROM WAL TO THE OCEANIC ENTRY POINT (WHICH WAS WHAT WE RECEIVED) AND AN ACCURACY CHK OF THE INS IS REQUIRED BEFORE PROCEEDING IN MNPS AIRSPACE. I WAS ENGROSSED IN WORKING WITH INS AND DID NOT HEAR THE FO MISS A FREQ CHANGE OR FAIL TO CHK IN ON THE NEW FREQ.

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.