Narrative:

I was working ZME, west area, low altitude -- sectors combined. I was the only early shift controller able to relieve a mid-shift controller. Subsequently I was not able to split off 2 sectors at XA00 as would occur with additional personnel. Sector 1, hot low, has a frequency 132.1 that has been logged for 2 months as being spotty in coverage and broken in transmission and reception. It is bad enough that at times aircraft at the rcag (remote control air to ground) site are unintelligible. This morning I cleared several departures and coordinated with surrounding sectors and facilities. Lit approach cleared ABX210 to 15000 ft and at my request assigned air carrier X a 210 degree heading. Air carrier Y was an overflt at FL220. When air carrier X checked on my frequency I assigned him FL210. He read back the clearance. The readback sounded correct in listening to the tape his transmission broke up and sounded like 'flight level TA...wa...row.' with the workload and frequency congestion at the time I took this readback to be correct. I then split off sector 1 and 2. I briefed the controller that 'air carrier X was on a 270 degrees heading assigned FL210 for air carrier Y.' he accepted the sectors. The controller issued traffic to the air carrier Y with the assigned altitudes. Both aircraft acknowledged the traffic. The air carrier X called traffic in sight and still climbed through it. It seems the frequency is obviously a known problem and has demonstrated itself a potential for disaster, if not soon fixed. It also seems that air carrier X, given TA's with assigned altitudes should at least question before climbing through it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR BELIEVED AN ALT READBACK BY PLT WAS CORRECT EVEN THOUGH THE RECEIVER HAS A HISTORY OF BEING UNINTELLIGIBLE AT TIMES.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ZME, W AREA, LOW ALT -- SECTORS COMBINED. I WAS THE ONLY EARLY SHIFT CTLR ABLE TO RELIEVE A MID-SHIFT CTLR. SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS NOT ABLE TO SPLIT OFF 2 SECTORS AT XA00 AS WOULD OCCUR WITH ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. SECTOR 1, HOT LOW, HAS A FREQ 132.1 THAT HAS BEEN LOGGED FOR 2 MONTHS AS BEING SPOTTY IN COVERAGE AND BROKEN IN XMISSION AND RECEPTION. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT AT TIMES ACFT AT THE RCAG (REMOTE CTL AIR TO GND) SITE ARE UNINTELLIGIBLE. THIS MORNING I CLRED SEVERAL DEPS AND COORDINATED WITH SURROUNDING SECTORS AND FACILITIES. LIT APCH CLRED ABX210 TO 15000 FT AND AT MY REQUEST ASSIGNED ACR X A 210 DEG HDG. ACR Y WAS AN OVERFLT AT FL220. WHEN ACR X CHKED ON MY FREQ I ASSIGNED HIM FL210. HE READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE READBACK SOUNDED CORRECT IN LISTENING TO THE TAPE HIS XMISSION BROKE UP AND SOUNDED LIKE 'FLT LEVEL TA...WA...ROW.' WITH THE WORKLOAD AND FREQ CONGESTION AT THE TIME I TOOK THIS READBACK TO BE CORRECT. I THEN SPLIT OFF SECTOR 1 AND 2. I BRIEFED THE CTLR THAT 'ACR X WAS ON A 270 DEGS HDG ASSIGNED FL210 FOR ACR Y.' HE ACCEPTED THE SECTORS. THE CTLR ISSUED TFC TO THE ACR Y WITH THE ASSIGNED ALTS. BOTH ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC. THE ACR X CALLED TFC IN SIGHT AND STILL CLBED THROUGH IT. IT SEEMS THE FREQ IS OBVIOUSLY A KNOWN PROB AND HAS DEMONSTRATED ITSELF A POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER, IF NOT SOON FIXED. IT ALSO SEEMS THAT ACR X, GIVEN TA'S WITH ASSIGNED ALTS SHOULD AT LEAST QUESTION BEFORE CLBING THROUGH IT.

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.