Ewr local controller claims there is a dead spot in tower radio reception when traffic is on and aro...

Attributes
ACN	466147
Time
Date	200003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : combined local instruction : instructor
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 12
ASRS Report	466147
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : combined local instruction : trainee
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : ewr.tower

Narrative:

I was training a developmental on local. He cleared air carrier X for takeoff. I observed a vehicle crossing the departure runway 04L downfield without permission. I canceled air carrier X takeoff. No reply. I canceled takeoff again. No reply. Vehicle was now on the other side of runway 04L and air carrier X continued takeoff roll. Air carrier X never heard me it seemed. Newark has known about this dead spot in xmissions for over a year. A statement on our ATIS even advises aircraft to use upper antennae. Every day we have aircraft, mostly B737, that never acknowledge a takeoff clearance, but roll. We can't hear them at times and they cannot hear us at times. This frequency problem can soon lead to major loss of separation. I do not know if af is going to ever fix this problem or not. We even log in the daily log every aircraft that takes off without us ever hearing an acknowledgement. I observed this situation in time to cancel the aircraft's takeoff safely, but due to this equipment problem, I was not able to do my job. Luckily they missed this time since the vehicle was far down the departure runway and was across the runway in no time (approximately 7000 ft away). This problem needs to be addressed as so on as possible before there is a major loss of separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EWR LCL CTLR CLAIMS THERE IS A DEAD SPOT IN TWR RADIO RECEPTION WHEN TFC IS ON AND AROUND RWY 04L. RPTR STATES THIS PROB HAS PERSISTED FOR OVER A YEAR.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING A DEVELOPMENTAL ON LCL. HE CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF. I OBSERVED A VEHICLE XING THE DEPARTURE RWY 04L DOWNFIELD WITHOUT PERMISSION. I CANCELED ACR X TKOF. NO REPLY. I CANCELED TKOF AGAIN. NO REPLY. VEHICLE WAS NOW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RWY 04L AND ACR X CONTINUED TKOF ROLL. ACR X NEVER HEARD ME IT SEEMED. NEWARK HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEAD SPOT IN XMISSIONS FOR OVER A YEAR. A STATEMENT ON OUR ATIS EVEN ADVISES ACFT TO USE UPPER ANTENNAE. EVERY DAY WE HAVE ACFT, MOSTLY B737, THAT NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE A TKOF CLRNC, BUT ROLL. WE CAN'T HEAR THEM AT TIMES AND THEY CANNOT HEAR US AT TIMES. THIS FREQ PROB CAN SOON LEAD TO MAJOR LOSS OF SEPARATION. I DO NOT KNOW IF AF IS GOING TO EVER FIX THIS PROB OR NOT. WE EVEN LOG IN THE DAILY LOG EVERY ACFT THAT TAKES OFF WITHOUT US EVER HEARING AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I OBSERVED THIS SIT IN TIME TO CANCEL THE ACFT'S TKOF SAFELY, BUT DUE TO THIS EQUIP PROB, I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO MY JOB. LUCKILY THEY MISSED THIS TIME SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS FAR DOWN THE DEPARTURE RWY AND WAS ACROSS THE RWY IN NO TIME (APPROX 7000 FT AWAY). THIS PROB NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS SO ON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THERE IS A MAJOR LOSS OF SEPARATION.

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.

Ewr local controller claims there is a dead spot in tower radio reception when traffic is on and around runway 04L. Reporter states this problem has persisted for over a year.