Narrative:

While holding short on runway 23 at gso the #1 communication radio would not receive local tower next to the hold short line. The tower told us that there is a 'blind spot' out there. If I am landing and another aircraft is about to pull onto the runway I would think ATC should be able to communicate with that aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the captain stated that the #1 VHF antenna is on the bottom of the dc-9, with the #2 antenna located on the top of the fuselage. Normal usage of the #1 VHF did not allow the reception of the tower controllers calls. The #2 VHF was then monitored and the tower could be heard. Since the crew had called on #1 the captain believed that the receiver on #1 radio was inoperative so he returned to the ramp for mntnc service. After determining that #1 radio receiver was operative the flight taxied out again and once more had this 'blind spot.' that is when the tower advised them that, 'this happens a lot and almost all the time with the dash 8's, there is a blind spot out there on runway 23.' the captain thought that his rt wing may have exacerbated the problem by being in line of sight with the bottom antenna and the tower antenna. Regardless, 'blind spots next to runways are unacceptable and nothing is being done about this known problem.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-40 CARGO FLT IS UNABLE TO RECEIVE NORMAL RADIO XMISSIONS FROM TWR WHEN USING #1 VHF RADIO HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 23 AT GSO, NC.

Narrative: WHILE HOLDING SHORT ON RWY 23 AT GSO THE #1 COM RADIO WOULD NOT RECEIVE LOCAL TWR NEXT TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE. THE TWR TOLD US THAT THERE IS A 'BLIND SPOT' OUT THERE. IF I AM LNDG AND ANOTHER ACFT IS ABOUT TO PULL ONTO THE RWY I WOULD THINK ATC SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THAT ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CAPT STATED THAT THE #1 VHF ANTENNA IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DC-9, WITH THE #2 ANTENNA LOCATED ON THE TOP OF THE FUSELAGE. NORMAL USAGE OF THE #1 VHF DID NOT ALLOW THE RECEPTION OF THE TWR CTLRS CALLS. THE #2 VHF WAS THEN MONITORED AND THE TWR COULD BE HEARD. SINCE THE CREW HAD CALLED ON #1 THE CAPT BELIEVED THAT THE RECEIVER ON #1 RADIO WAS INOP SO HE RETURNED TO THE RAMP FOR MNTNC SERVICE. AFTER DETERMINING THAT #1 RADIO RECEIVER WAS OPERATIVE THE FLT TAXIED OUT AGAIN AND ONCE MORE HAD THIS 'BLIND SPOT.' THAT IS WHEN THE TWR ADVISED THEM THAT, 'THIS HAPPENS A LOT AND ALMOST ALL THE TIME WITH THE DASH 8'S, THERE IS A BLIND SPOT OUT THERE ON RWY 23.' THE CAPT THOUGHT THAT HIS RT WING MAY HAVE EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM BY BEING IN LINE OF SIGHT WITH THE BOTTOM ANTENNA AND THE TWR ANTENNA. REGARDLESS, 'BLIND SPOTS NEXT TO RWYS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS KNOWN PROB.'

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.