A pilot reports 8 airports within 75 mi on CTAF frequency 123.00 and 14 airports within 100 mi on fr...

Attributes
ACN	453067
Time
Date	199910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	453067
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Presently, I am a helicopter pilot flying the helicopter during medevac, search and rescue and law enforcement missions. I have been flying at frederick, md, for 6+ yrs. I have flying for 20+ yrs. Md is a rather small state. There are eight small airports including frederick city airport that use 123.00 for CTAF. There are 14 small airports in md that use 122.80 for CTAF. With the power of today's aircraft radios a pilot using 123.00 or 122.80 in md better give his location (which airport he is at) with every radio transmission made. Why does the FAA or FCC assign the same CTAF frequency's so close together? Is there anything I can do to get better frequency (CTAF) separation in md? On a nice weekend if there are 3 aircraft at each of the airports that use 123.00 or 122.80 CTAF in the pattern then 24 pilots are transmitting on the same frequency. Eight airports within 75 NM using 123.00 CTAF and fourteen airports within 100 NM using 122.80 CTAF is very dangerous and results in exteme radio congestion and confusion in the traffic pattern where mid-air collision danger is at its greatest.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT RPTS 8 ARPTS WITHIN 75 MI ON CTAF FREQ 123.00 AND 14 ARPTS WITHIN 100 MI ON FREQ 122.80 IN THE STATE OF MD.

Narrative: PRESENTLY, I AM A HELICOPTER PLT FLYING THE HELICOPTER DURING MEDEVAC, SEARCH AND RESCUE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT MISSIONS. I HAVE BEEN FLYING AT FREDERICK, MD, FOR 6+ YRS. I HAVE FLYING FOR 20+ YRS. MD IS A RATHER SMALL STATE. THERE ARE EIGHT SMALL ARPTS INCLUDING FREDERICK CITY ARPT THAT USE 123.00 FOR CTAF. THERE ARE 14 SMALL ARPTS IN MD THAT USE 122.80 FOR CTAF. WITH THE PWR OF TODAY'S ACFT RADIOS A PLT USING 123.00 OR 122.80 IN MD BETTER GIVE HIS LOCATION (WHICH ARPT HE IS AT) WITH EVERY RADIO TRANSMISSION MADE. WHY DOES THE FAA OR FCC ASSIGN THE SAME CTAF FREQ'S SO CLOSE TOGETHER? IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO GET BETTER FREQ (CTAF) SEPARATION IN MD? ON A NICE WEEKEND IF THERE ARE 3 ACFT AT EACH OF THE ARPTS THAT USE 123.00 OR 122.80 CTAF IN THE PATTERN THEN 24 PLTS ARE TRANSMITTING ON THE SAME FREQ. EIGHT ARPTS WITHIN 75 NM USING 123.00 CTAF AND FOURTEEN ARPTS WITHIN 100 NM USING 122.80 CTAF IS VERY DANGEROUS AND RESULTS IN EXTEME RADIO CONGESTION AND CONFUSION IN THE TFC PATTERN WHERE MID-AIR COLLISION DANGER IS AT ITS GREATEST.

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.

A pilot reports 8 airports within 75 mi on CTAF frequency 123.00 and 14 airports within 100 mi on frequency 122.80 in the state of md.