Narrative:

I was acting as instructor and safety pilot for a multi-engine student who was flying the airplane. I had an IFR flight plan on file. We were operating VFR while trying to make contact with seattle approach to pick up the clearance. The controller was working multiple frequencys and was quite busy. Despite several attempts over a few mins, I was unable to establish contact. I spotted a piper arrow on a converging course at my altitude. I pulled up sharply to avoid. Right after that, I heard an arrow query approach about traffic. I presume that it was the same arrow and he was receiving TA's, yet had not been warned of my presence. I soon established contact with seattle approach. No radio or transponder problems. My concern is that seattle approach routinely operates combined sectors/frequencys during busy traffic. This results in poor service and in this case, a hazardous situation that could have been mitigated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23 INSTRUCTOR CONCERNED ABOUT FREQ CONGESTION AND INCURRING AN NMAC WHILE WAITING FOR RADAR IDENT FOR APCH SVC.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS INSTRUCTOR AND SAFETY PLT FOR A MULTI-ENG STUDENT WHO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE. I HAD AN IFR FLT PLAN ON FILE. WE WERE OPERATING VFR WHILE TRYING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH SEATTLE APCH TO PICK UP THE CLRNC. THE CTLR WAS WORKING MULTIPLE FREQS AND WAS QUITE BUSY. DESPITE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OVER A FEW MINS, I WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT. I SPOTTED A PIPER ARROW ON A CONVERGING COURSE AT MY ALT. I PULLED UP SHARPLY TO AVOID. RIGHT AFTER THAT, I HEARD AN ARROW QUERY APCH ABOUT TFC. I PRESUME THAT IT WAS THE SAME ARROW AND HE WAS RECEIVING TA'S, YET HAD NOT BEEN WARNED OF MY PRESENCE. I SOON ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH SEATTLE APCH. NO RADIO OR XPONDER PROBS. MY CONCERN IS THAT SEATTLE APCH ROUTINELY OPERATES COMBINED SECTORS/FREQS DURING BUSY TFC. THIS RESULTS IN POOR SVC AND IN THIS CASE, A HAZARDOUS SIT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MITIGATED.

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.