Narrative:

We encountered something strange with the mci VOR. Both the captain and I were tuned to it, but only the captain was receiving a signal and good identify from it. This happened on J25, well within the VOR service volume. Even at 60 NM to and from the mci VOR, no signal and/or identify on my receiver. Mci just changed over to new frequency 113.25 this past month, but I doubt that has anything to do with this. I fly 'jurassic jet' a DC9-50. Our maintenance people changed out the receiver. So, here's some of the factors: 1) both VOR antennas are located in same place -- the tail, so both should have gotten the same signal. 2) my receiver that would not get any signal identify from mci, worked fine on all other frequencys used for the rest of the flight. I checked out on the ground with vot test frequency. 3) the flight attendants did mention that 4 passenger were using laptop computers and 2 palm pilots. (If these were the cause, why did it only affect 1 side?) we never did try having passenger turn off anything to see if it solved our problem as we were VFR in cruise. However, things could have been very different had we been in an 'electric airplane' (ie, A320 or B757) and on approach. This was one time I was glad we were flying 'jurassic jet,' our only computer in the ACARS box, so we should be unaffected by Y2K, but this particular instance was a strange one.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RPTS PROBS WITH 1 OF 2 VOR RECEIVERS ONLY ON 1 FREQ WHILE PAX ARE USING ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN CRUISE.

Narrative: WE ENCOUNTERED SOMETHING STRANGE WITH THE MCI VOR. BOTH THE CAPT AND I WERE TUNED TO IT, BUT ONLY THE CAPT WAS RECEIVING A SIGNAL AND GOOD IDENT FROM IT. THIS HAPPENED ON J25, WELL WITHIN THE VOR SVC VOLUME. EVEN AT 60 NM TO AND FROM THE MCI VOR, NO SIGNAL AND/OR IDENT ON MY RECEIVER. MCI JUST CHANGED OVER TO NEW FREQ 113.25 THIS PAST MONTH, BUT I DOUBT THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I FLY 'JURASSIC JET' A DC9-50. OUR MAINT PEOPLE CHANGED OUT THE RECEIVER. SO, HERE'S SOME OF THE FACTORS: 1) BOTH VOR ANTENNAS ARE LOCATED IN SAME PLACE -- THE TAIL, SO BOTH SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE SAME SIGNAL. 2) MY RECEIVER THAT WOULD NOT GET ANY SIGNAL IDENT FROM MCI, WORKED FINE ON ALL OTHER FREQS USED FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. I CHKED OUT ON THE GND WITH VOT TEST FREQ. 3) THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID MENTION THAT 4 PAX WERE USING LAPTOP COMPUTERS AND 2 PALM PILOTS. (IF THESE WERE THE CAUSE, WHY DID IT ONLY AFFECT 1 SIDE?) WE NEVER DID TRY HAVING PAX TURN OFF ANYTHING TO SEE IF IT SOLVED OUR PROB AS WE WERE VFR IN CRUISE. HOWEVER, THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD WE BEEN IN AN 'ELECTRIC AIRPLANE' (IE, A320 OR B757) AND ON APCH. THIS WAS ONE TIME I WAS GLAD WE WERE FLYING 'JURASSIC JET,' OUR ONLY COMPUTER IN THE ACARS BOX, SO WE SHOULD BE UNAFFECTED BY Y2K, BUT THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE WAS A STRANGE ONE.

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.