PA31 pilot encounters radio communication difficulty with TRACON in N90 airspace.

Attributes
ACN	423291
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : teb airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	423291
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Have noticed that the new york TRACON frequencys have an excessive amount of backgnd conversation audible during radio transmission -- ie, each time the controllers key the microphone, you can hear all the other controllers nearly as loud as the guy you're listening for. Over the past several weeks, I've listened to this give rise to several conflicts. Could they use better mikes? Possibly some form of acoustical barrier could help. In the case this evening, we heard a foreign carrier miss his instructions no fewer than 3 times -- simply because the backgnd chatter completely obliterated it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT ENCOUNTERS RADIO COM DIFFICULTY WITH TRACON IN N90 AIRSPACE.

Narrative: HAVE NOTICED THAT THE NEW YORK TRACON FREQS HAVE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF BACKGND CONVERSATION AUDIBLE DURING RADIO XMISSION -- IE, EACH TIME THE CTLRS KEY THE MIKE, YOU CAN HEAR ALL THE OTHER CTLRS NEARLY AS LOUD AS THE GUY YOU'RE LISTENING FOR. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WKS, I'VE LISTENED TO THIS GIVE RISE TO SEVERAL CONFLICTS. COULD THEY USE BETTER MIKES? POSSIBLY SOME FORM OF ACOUSTICAL BARRIER COULD HELP. IN THE CASE THIS EVENING, WE HEARD A FOREIGN CARRIER MISS HIS INSTRUCTIONS NO FEWER THAN 3 TIMES -- SIMPLY BECAUSE THE BACKGND CHATTER COMPLETELY OBLITERATED IT.

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.