B757 crew had trouble establishing communication with ZNY class a.

Attributes
ACN	489220
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	489220
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	staffing : zny.artcc

Narrative:

En route frequency change to ZNY while at cruise. Attempted to check in twice with no response, although he was answering and controling others. On the third attempt to check in, he said 'roger,' and we remained on the frequency. Several mins later, center called our flight, we answered, and he said (paraphrasing) 'I didn't know you had checked in. I had traffic to call for you.' I answered that we had called 3 times, heard him say 'roger' and quit with that. Although he did not say there was a problem, I see that if he did not think we were on frequency, a conflict could occur. I believe that the controller was using 2 frequencys. He could have been answering on one frequency, an airplane calling on the other frequency. I could have attempted to confirm his confirmation of my check-on, but at what point do we stop? Does he then confirm my confirmation? It makes more sense to limit controllers to one frequency they can broadcast on at a time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW HAD TROUBLE ESTABLISHING COM WITH ZNY CLASS A.

Narrative: ENRTE FREQ CHANGE TO ZNY WHILE AT CRUISE. ATTEMPTED TO CHK IN TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE, ALTHOUGH HE WAS ANSWERING AND CTLING OTHERS. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO CHK IN, HE SAID 'ROGER,' AND WE REMAINED ON THE FREQ. SEVERAL MINS LATER, CTR CALLED OUR FLT, WE ANSWERED, AND HE SAID (PARAPHRASING) 'I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD CHKED IN. I HAD TFC TO CALL FOR YOU.' I ANSWERED THAT WE HAD CALLED 3 TIMES, HEARD HIM SAY 'ROGER' AND QUIT WITH THAT. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT SAY THERE WAS A PROB, I SEE THAT IF HE DID NOT THINK WE WERE ON FREQ, A CONFLICT COULD OCCUR. I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR WAS USING 2 FREQS. HE COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERING ON ONE FREQ, AN AIRPLANE CALLING ON THE OTHER FREQ. I COULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONFIRM HIS CONFIRMATION OF MY CHK-ON, BUT AT WHAT POINT DO WE STOP? DOES HE THEN CONFIRM MY CONFIRMATION? IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO LIMIT CTLRS TO ONE FREQ THEY CAN BROADCAST ON AT A TIME.

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.