Pilot of a piper PA31T cheyenne ii, paye, questioned the selection of the runway lights activation r...

Attributes
ACN	382018
Time
Date	199709
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hth
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31T Cheyenne II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 46
ASRS Report	382018
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

The AFD and sectional show 122.9 for the CTAF. Unable to activate lights on this frequency, but 122.8 worked. 'Airport remarks' states 'activate MIRL for 10-28, 122.8.' I have never seen this before! Wouldn't it be less confusing from the start if the CTAF and frequency for the lights were the same? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that it was a delay in finding the proper frequency to activate the runway lights and therefore, believes that it would be easier if the CTAF frequency, which is the only frequency shown on the sectional chart, also activated lights. However, it was pointed out that it is necessary to separate the 2 frequencys so that the lights would not be activated every time someone talked on the CTAF frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA31T CHEYENNE II, PAYE, QUESTIONED THE SELECTION OF THE RWY LIGHTS ACTIVATION RADIO FREQ SINCE IT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CTAF COM FREQ AT NON TWR ARPT, HAWTHORNE, NV.

Narrative: THE AFD AND SECTIONAL SHOW 122.9 FOR THE CTAF. UNABLE TO ACTIVATE LIGHTS ON THIS FREQ, BUT 122.8 WORKED. 'ARPT REMARKS' STATES 'ACTIVATE MIRL FOR 10-28, 122.8.' I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE! WOULDN'T IT BE LESS CONFUSING FROM THE START IF THE CTAF AND FREQ FOR THE LIGHTS WERE THE SAME? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT IT WAS A DELAY IN FINDING THE PROPER FREQ TO ACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS AND THEREFORE, BELIEVES THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER IF THE CTAF FREQ, WHICH IS THE ONLY FREQ SHOWN ON THE SECTIONAL CHART, ALSO ACTIVATED LIGHTS. HOWEVER, IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO SEPARATE THE 2 FREQS SO THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT BE ACTIVATED EVERY TIME SOMEONE TALKED ON THE CTAF 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.

Pilot of a piper PA31T cheyenne ii, paye, questioned the selection of the runway lights activation radio frequency since it is different than the CTAF communication frequency at non tower airport, hawthorne, nv.