Narrative:

I have written previously about this situation (frequency loss). This time however, I was working the sector next to the one that lost frequencys and was only a witness to the complete chaos that ensued. A massive departure rush is in progress when the frequencys go out. Then the backup frequencys go out, there were several sits (separation) that needed attention that fortunately did not result in an operational error. These frequencys and the outages are unsafe. They happen frequently. They cause mass confusion and quadruple the workload of the controller. Many of the pilots I spoke with at my sector that had transitioned the above mentioned were very concerned as well. Please pull the tapes and listen for yourself. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated the frequency problem occurs only within the low, high and ultra sectors within reporter's area and primarily with the low altitude departure sector. Reporter said that the outages usually occur during the weekend. Reporter indicated that there are some suspicions that the problem might be caused by transmitters from another source or as result of the insulation used on the nearby power lines. Reporter indicated the electrical company has been asked to change the insulation used. Reporter alleges the problem may be caused by someone jamming the frequency. Reporter mentioned one 20 min period when they went through 4 frequencys and the problem seemed to go with the frequency changes. Reporter alleges a recent frequency problem partially contributed to an operational error. Reporter feels that everyone involved is working to resolve the frequency problem.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED SIT OF ADJACENT CTR CTL POS'S FAILURE OF PRIMARY AND BACKUP FREQS DURING DEP RUSH. RPTR STATES FREQ OUTAGES OCCUR FREQUENTLY.

Narrative: I HAVE WRITTEN PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THIS SIT (FREQ LOSS). THIS TIME HOWEVER, I WAS WORKING THE SECTOR NEXT TO THE ONE THAT LOST FREQS AND WAS ONLY A WITNESS TO THE COMPLETE CHAOS THAT ENSUED. A MASSIVE DEP RUSH IS IN PROGRESS WHEN THE FREQS GO OUT. THEN THE BACKUP FREQS GO OUT, THERE WERE SEVERAL SITS (SEPARATION) THAT NEEDED ATTN THAT FORTUNATELY DID NOT RESULT IN AN OPERROR. THESE FREQS AND THE OUTAGES ARE UNSAFE. THEY HAPPEN FREQUENTLY. THEY CAUSE MASS CONFUSION AND QUADRUPLE THE WORKLOAD OF THE CTLR. MANY OF THE PLTS I SPOKE WITH AT MY SECTOR THAT HAD TRANSITIONED THE ABOVE MENTIONED WERE VERY CONCERNED AS WELL. PLEASE PULL THE TAPES AND LISTEN FOR YOURSELF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THE FREQ PROB OCCURS ONLY WITHIN THE LOW, HIGH AND ULTRA SECTORS WITHIN RPTR'S AREA AND PRIMARILY WITH THE LOW ALT DEP SECTOR. RPTR SAID THAT THE OUTAGES USUALLY OCCUR DURING THE WEEKEND. RPTR INDICATED THAT THERE ARE SOME SUSPICIONS THAT THE PROB MIGHT BE CAUSED BY XMITTERS FROM ANOTHER SOURCE OR AS RESULT OF THE INSULATION USED ON THE NEARBY PWR LINES. RPTR INDICATED THE ELECTRICAL COMPANY HAS BEEN ASKED TO CHANGE THE INSULATION USED. RPTR ALLEGES THE PROB MAY BE CAUSED BY SOMEONE JAMMING THE FREQ. RPTR MENTIONED ONE 20 MIN PERIOD WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH 4 FREQS AND THE PROB SEEMED TO GO WITH THE FREQ CHANGES. RPTR ALLEGES A RECENT FREQ PROB PARTIALLY CONTRIBUTED TO AN OPERROR. RPTR FEELS THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IS WORKING TO RESOLVE THE FREQ PROB.

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.