Narrative:

Made the turn from V292 to V408 at sages intersection and proceeded inbound to lhy via V408. I noticed the needle (CDI) wavering more than I thought was normal for our distance. I then proceeded to listen to the morse code to positively identify it, it was operational and we were well above the MEA. The needle then settled down and appeared to work normal. Proceeding inbound CDI deflection called for a slight left correction (east), with westerly winds aloft, I thought this was odd. The CDI then went half scale right. I corrected immediately, then ATC said they showed us off course east and gave us a vector to rejoin. Lesson learned: when getting a weak signal off a VOR (even if above MEA) advise ATC. In the past I have heard other pilots complain about signal coverage off lhy. Perhaps it needs to be re- flight tested? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had not heard anything else regarding this problem, but believed that the VORTAC should be more reliable at and well above the MEA as he was at 14000 ft MSL and the MEA is only at 5700 ft MSL.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A BEECH 1900 AIRLINER (BE02) WAS ADVISED BY ARTCC RADAR CTLR THAT THEY SHOWED OFF COURSE AND GAVE VECTORS TO ON COURSE. FLC WERE SURPRISED SINCE THEIR COURSE CDI NEEDLE INDICATED ON COURSE, BUT THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A WEAK AND SOMETIMES INTERMITTENT SIGNAL FROM THE LHY VORTAC TO WHICH THEY WERE HEADED AT 40 DME.

Narrative: MADE THE TURN FROM V292 TO V408 AT SAGES INTXN AND PROCEEDED INBOUND TO LHY VIA V408. I NOTICED THE NEEDLE (CDI) WAVERING MORE THAN I THOUGHT WAS NORMAL FOR OUR DISTANCE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LISTEN TO THE MORSE CODE TO POSITIVELY IDENT IT, IT WAS OPERATIONAL AND WE WERE WELL ABOVE THE MEA. THE NEEDLE THEN SETTLED DOWN AND APPEARED TO WORK NORMAL. PROCEEDING INBOUND CDI DEFLECTION CALLED FOR A SLIGHT L CORRECTION (E), WITH WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD. THE CDI THEN WENT HALF SCALE R. I CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY, THEN ATC SAID THEY SHOWED US OFF COURSE E AND GAVE US A VECTOR TO REJOIN. LESSON LEARNED: WHEN GETTING A WEAK SIGNAL OFF A VOR (EVEN IF ABOVE MEA) ADVISE ATC. IN THE PAST I HAVE HEARD OTHER PLTS COMPLAIN ABOUT SIGNAL COVERAGE OFF LHY. PERHAPS IT NEEDS TO BE RE- FLT TESTED? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING THIS PROB, BUT BELIEVED THAT THE VORTAC SHOULD BE MORE RELIABLE AT AND WELL ABOVE THE MEA AS HE WAS AT 14000 FT MSL AND THE MEA IS ONLY AT 5700 FT MSL.

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.