An MD80 PIC report on the distracting use of multiple frequency monitoring by ARTCC radar controller...

Attributes
ACN	476484
Time
Date	200006
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	746484
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Submitted for trend analysis. It seems that more and more often I encounter an ATC controller listening to 2 and sometimes 3 frequencys while we are in cruise. It is not generally additional high altitude sectors, but rather the complete vertical tier of a given geographic area. This happens a bit more often in the west, but can happen anywhere. My concern is that while a controller is dealing with a commuter aircraft, which has just gone missed approach due to windshear at 1000 ft AGL, I may need to be deviating for the top of that very same buildup. On a clear day when checking in with a new ATC sector, it sometimes takes 60-90 seconds to get heard if the controller is working multiple frequencys -- during adverse WX it will be worse. While I will not hesitate to squawk 7600 and 7700 if I cannot be heard while deviating, I think the situation needs to be looked at before the funding people decide that we can do more doubling and tripling of the radio workload of ATC controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PIC RPT ON THE DISTRACTING USE OF MULTIPLE FREQ MONITORING BY ARTCC RADAR CTLRS THROUGH THE VERT TIER OF A GIVEN GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, ZZZ, US.

Narrative: SUBMITTED FOR TREND ANALYSIS. IT SEEMS THAT MORE AND MORE OFTEN I ENCOUNTER AN ATC CTLR LISTENING TO 2 AND SOMETIMES 3 FREQS WHILE WE ARE IN CRUISE. IT IS NOT GENERALLY ADDITIONAL HIGH ALT SECTORS, BUT RATHER THE COMPLETE VERT TIER OF A GIVEN GEOGRAPHIC AREA. THIS HAPPENS A BIT MORE OFTEN IN THE W, BUT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHILE A CTLR IS DEALING WITH A COMMUTER ACFT, WHICH HAS JUST GONE MISSED APCH DUE TO WINDSHEAR AT 1000 FT AGL, I MAY NEED TO BE DEVIATING FOR THE TOP OF THAT VERY SAME BUILDUP. ON A CLR DAY WHEN CHKING IN WITH A NEW ATC SECTOR, IT SOMETIMES TAKES 60-90 SECONDS TO GET HEARD IF THE CTLR IS WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS -- DURING ADVERSE WX IT WILL BE WORSE. WHILE I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SQUAWK 7600 AND 7700 IF I CANNOT BE HEARD WHILE DEVIATING, I THINK THE SIT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT BEFORE THE FUNDING PEOPLE DECIDE THAT WE CAN DO MORE DOUBLING AND TRIPLING OF THE RADIO WORKLOAD OF ATC CTLRS.

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.

An MD80 PIC report on the distracting use of multiple frequency monitoring by ARTCC radar controllers through the vertical tier of a given geographical area, ZZZ, us.