Narrative:

Feb/xa/00 at XA50Z air carrier flight XXX departing dca to ind, arrived at gate from atl (flight wyy) with the #1 VHF radio inoperative. Because no replacement radios were available and a quick turnaround needed for scheduling (XB45) maintenance department swapped radios and deferred (dmi) as per our 'MEL' the now #2 radio. We were still in compliance since we could use our ACARS as our required second VHF radio. Legal -- but perhaps not prudent on a DC9. 1-2 mins after rotation, dca tower advised us to go to departure and maintain 5000 ft. We were unable to raise departure so we called the dca tower back, which then assigned us to a 270 degree heading/5000 ft and a new departure frequency. Unable to raise departure again, we called dca back and he gave us another departure frequency. The frequency worked and ZDC gave us 360 degree heading and 9000 ft. 2-3 mins later, the #1 radio failed altogether, and we traveled through a lot of airspace at 210 KTS, 9000 ft, 360 degree heading for about 5-10 mins before the captain could finally effectively transmit on the ACARS radio because the #1 radio was intermittent. We did not squawk 7700/7600, but in between the lapses on no communication, we traveled approximately 15-25 mi or 10-12 mins on and off without communications with ZDC and dulles airspace. The MEL should not allow dispatch with 1 radio and ACARS VHF as a backup, and we should have more clarification on what to do in a lost communication situation, ie, proceed to destination or return.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 DISPATCHED WITH #2 VHF COM XCEIVER INOP AND DEFERRED HAS #1 VHF COM FAIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. NECESSARY TO USE ACARS COM UNIT FOR ATC COMS.

Narrative: FEB/XA/00 AT XA50Z ACR FLT XXX DEPARTING DCA TO IND, ARRIVED AT GATE FROM ATL (FLT WYY) WITH THE #1 VHF RADIO INOP. BECAUSE NO REPLACEMENT RADIOS WERE AVAILABLE AND A QUICK TURNAROUND NEEDED FOR SCHEDULING (XB45) MAINT DEPT SWAPPED RADIOS AND DEFERRED (DMI) AS PER OUR 'MEL' THE NOW #2 RADIO. WE WERE STILL IN COMPLIANCE SINCE WE COULD USE OUR ACARS AS OUR REQUIRED SECOND VHF RADIO. LEGAL -- BUT PERHAPS NOT PRUDENT ON A DC9. 1-2 MINS AFTER ROTATION, DCA TWR ADVISED US TO GO TO DEP AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. WE WERE UNABLE TO RAISE DEP SO WE CALLED THE DCA TWR BACK, WHICH THEN ASSIGNED US TO A 270 DEG HDG/5000 FT AND A NEW DEP FREQ. UNABLE TO RAISE DEP AGAIN, WE CALLED DCA BACK AND HE GAVE US ANOTHER DEP FREQ. THE FREQ WORKED AND ZDC GAVE US 360 DEG HDG AND 9000 FT. 2-3 MINS LATER, THE #1 RADIO FAILED ALTOGETHER, AND WE TRAVELED THROUGH A LOT OF AIRSPACE AT 210 KTS, 9000 FT, 360 DEG HDG FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINS BEFORE THE CAPT COULD FINALLY EFFECTIVELY XMIT ON THE ACARS RADIO BECAUSE THE #1 RADIO WAS INTERMITTENT. WE DID NOT SQUAWK 7700/7600, BUT IN BTWN THE LAPSES ON NO COM, WE TRAVELED APPROX 15-25 MI OR 10-12 MINS ON AND OFF WITHOUT COMS WITH ZDC AND DULLES AIRSPACE. THE MEL SHOULD NOT ALLOW DISPATCH WITH 1 RADIO AND ACARS VHF AS A BACKUP, AND WE SHOULD HAVE MORE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT TO DO IN A LOST COM SIT, IE, PROCEED TO DEST OR RETURN.

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.