Narrative:

Our flight received a handoff from one ZDV sector to another one (the last one prior to the approach control handoff). The new frequency was 126.5. I switched over but never checked in. Planning to cross ramms at 250 KTS and FL190, I queried the controller for lower. He responded that he didn't know we were with him. He gave us a heading (about 20 degrees to the left) for some reason (perhaps because he was trying to fit us in or squeeze somebody else in the arrival). He then descended us to FL270 and then FL250. Finally he turned us back towards ramms, which we crossed above FL190 (which was acceptable since he was stepping us down). He then handed us off to den approach. I am reporting this because we seemed to need extra handling due to our late check in with the center controller. I don't believe there was ever a traffic conflict. I know this report may not necessarily be warranted but with the FAA, one never knows. I don't know why I thought we had already checked on. This was a first for me. I became suspicious, though, as we approached our top of descent, but had not received instructions to cross our arrival fix. I do strongly believe that the controller could have asked on the frequency if flight yx was there. After all, we had switched over to the correct frequency -- we just may not have checked in. He wasn't that busy because the frequency was relatively quiet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 PIC'S RPT ON A LATE CALL TO ATC AFTER HAVING CHANGED FREQ TO THE NEW SECTOR BUT NOT CALLING THE CTLR RIGHT AWAY.

Narrative: OUR FLT RECEIVED A HDOF FROM ONE ZDV SECTOR TO ANOTHER ONE (THE LAST ONE PRIOR TO THE APCH CTL HDOF). THE NEW FREQ WAS 126.5. I SWITCHED OVER BUT NEVER CHKED IN. PLANNING TO CROSS RAMMS AT 250 KTS AND FL190, I QUERIED THE CTLR FOR LOWER. HE RESPONDED THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE WITH HIM. HE GAVE US A HDG (ABOUT 20 DEGS TO THE L) FOR SOME REASON (PERHAPS BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO FIT US IN OR SQUEEZE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE ARR). HE THEN DSNDED US TO FL270 AND THEN FL250. FINALLY HE TURNED US BACK TOWARDS RAMMS, WHICH WE CROSSED ABOVE FL190 (WHICH WAS ACCEPTABLE SINCE HE WAS STEPPING US DOWN). HE THEN HANDED US OFF TO DEN APCH. I AM RPTING THIS BECAUSE WE SEEMED TO NEED EXTRA HANDLING DUE TO OUR LATE CHK IN WITH THE CTR CTLR. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS EVER A TFC CONFLICT. I KNOW THIS RPT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE WARRANTED BUT WITH THE FAA, ONE NEVER KNOWS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT WE HAD ALREADY CHKED ON. THIS WAS A FIRST FOR ME. I BECAME SUSPICIOUS, THOUGH, AS WE APCHED OUR TOP OF DSCNT, BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS OUR ARR FIX. I DO STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR COULD HAVE ASKED ON THE FREQ IF FLT YX WAS THERE. AFTER ALL, WE HAD SWITCHED OVER TO THE CORRECT FREQ -- WE JUST MAY NOT HAVE CHKED IN. HE WASN'T THAT BUSY BECAUSE THE FREQ WAS RELATIVELY QUIET.

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.