Narrative:

Jun/xa/99 departed private strip 24 NM north of colville, wa. Small aircraft on a 'void if not airborne by' IFR flight plan XX00/XX20 departure, instructed to begin calling ZSE through 5000 ft, clearance was direct to kelowna, back course (canada), at 12000 ft. WX scattered to broken, 5000-8000 ft first part of flight, then VFR below 14000-15000 ft later part of flight (observed conditions). I began trying to contact center at 5000 ft on 126.1 as filed. Although I could hear other traffic talking to center, I could not hear center at all until level at 12000 ft then I could barely hear them, but they apparently couldn't hear my call. By now, I had crossed the border into canada and worried about being in canada without radio contact. The WX was VFR with no traffic in the area. I circled the plane up to 13000 ft in an attempt to establish radio contact. No luck, and I returned to 12000 ft after approximately 1 min. I was then able to contact ZSE via another aircraft and was told to contact vancouver center. I did so, and they heard me clearly. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Events contributing to this deviation: 1) poor radio coverage by center in this area (I have new radios.) 2) my worry about being in canada without radio contact (I wasn't sure about clrncs in between the united stated and canada). 3) VFR en route without danger of collision, ie, no separation problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEPARTED PVT STRIP IFR INTO CANADIAN AIRSPACE AND IS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC.

Narrative: JUN/XA/99 DEPARTED PVT STRIP 24 NM N OF COLVILLE, WA. SMA ON A 'VOID IF NOT AIRBORNE BY' IFR FLT PLAN XX00/XX20 DEP, INSTRUCTED TO BEGIN CALLING ZSE THROUGH 5000 FT, CLRNC WAS DIRECT TO KELOWNA, BC (CANADA), AT 12000 FT. WX SCATTERED TO BROKEN, 5000-8000 FT FIRST PART OF FLT, THEN VFR BELOW 14000-15000 FT LATER PART OF FLT (OBSERVED CONDITIONS). I BEGAN TRYING TO CONTACT CTR AT 5000 FT ON 126.1 AS FILED. ALTHOUGH I COULD HEAR OTHER TFC TALKING TO CTR, I COULD NOT HEAR CTR AT ALL UNTIL LEVEL AT 12000 FT THEN I COULD BARELY HEAR THEM, BUT THEY APPARENTLY COULDN'T HEAR MY CALL. BY NOW, I HAD CROSSED THE BORDER INTO CANADA AND WORRIED ABOUT BEING IN CANADA WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT. THE WX WAS VFR WITH NO TFC IN THE AREA. I CIRCLED THE PLANE UP TO 13000 FT IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT. NO LUCK, AND I RETURNED TO 12000 FT AFTER APPROX 1 MIN. I WAS THEN ABLE TO CONTACT ZSE VIA ANOTHER ACFT AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT VANCOUVER CTR. I DID SO, AND THEY HEARD ME CLRLY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. EVENTS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEV: 1) POOR RADIO COVERAGE BY CTR IN THIS AREA (I HAVE NEW RADIOS.) 2) MY WORRY ABOUT BEING IN CANADA WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT (I WASN'T SURE ABOUT CLRNCS IN BTWN THE UNITED STATED AND CANADA). 3) VFR ENRTE WITHOUT DANGER OF COLLISION, IE, NO SEPARATION PROBS.

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.