Narrative:

Departure control cleared us to proceed direct to the ldn VORTAC and to contact the dulles departure control. The controller appeared to be overwhelmed with too much simultaneous traffic and communication. Exchanges were fast and not completely verified. Being hurried, I acknowledged that we were cleared direct dulles (still actually proceeding to ldn, however) and if he would repeat the new frequency as I didn't get it on the first hearing. He never replied to our request, even though we tried over the course of a few mins every opportunity we had a chance to talk. Getting no results, we tried a dulles frequency the controller gave another aircraft. That controller told us his frequency was the wrong one and to return to our previous controller. We did so, and tried again several times to communicate with the controller with no success, despite the fact that our transmission appeared to be getting out ok. Finally, I informed the captain that I would try to contact dca tower as he continued trying to talk to dca departure control. The tower gave us a new dulles frequency to try and we did. That controller said he wasn't the right controller either, but gave us the correct frequency to use. I don't feel we were adequately served by this controller. I feel he should have been able to respond to us after our many attempts to get our frequency. Out of the many times we called, I believe he should have been able to hear us. Everyone else seemed to.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE OF ASSIGNED FREQ.

Narrative: DEP CTL CLRED US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE LDN VORTAC AND TO CONTACT THE DULLES DEP CTL. THE CTLR APPEARED TO BE OVERWHELMED WITH TOO MUCH SIMULTANEOUS TFC AND COM. EXCHANGES WERE FAST AND NOT COMPLETELY VERIFIED. BEING HURRIED, I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE CLRED DIRECT DULLES (STILL ACTUALLY PROCEEDING TO LDN, HOWEVER) AND IF HE WOULD REPEAT THE NEW FREQ AS I DIDN'T GET IT ON THE FIRST HEARING. HE NEVER REPLIED TO OUR REQUEST, EVEN THOUGH WE TRIED OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW MINS EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK. GETTING NO RESULTS, WE TRIED A DULLES FREQ THE CTLR GAVE ANOTHER ACFT. THAT CTLR TOLD US HIS FREQ WAS THE WRONG ONE AND TO RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUS CTLR. WE DID SO, AND TRIED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CTLR WITH NO SUCCESS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT OUR XMISSION APPEARED TO BE GETTING OUT OK. FINALLY, I INFORMED THE CAPT THAT I WOULD TRY TO CONTACT DCA TWR AS HE CONTINUED TRYING TO TALK TO DCA DEP CTL. THE TWR GAVE US A NEW DULLES FREQ TO TRY AND WE DID. THAT CTLR SAID HE WASN'T THE RIGHT CTLR EITHER, BUT GAVE US THE CORRECT FREQ TO USE. I DON'T FEEL WE WERE ADEQUATELY SERVED BY THIS CTLR. I FEEL HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO US AFTER OUR MANY ATTEMPTS TO GET OUR FREQ. OUT OF THE MANY TIMES WE CALLED, I BELIEVE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR US. EVERYONE ELSE SEEMED TO.

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.