Narrative:

Our B737 have no HF radios. In order to comply with far 121.99 we must have VHF radio coverage. The only VHF radio coverage for us to use along this flight is with the use of a contract radio. The 2 stations that must be operative are station X and station Y. On jan/fri/02 a dispatcher at our air carrier tried to contact his/her flight through the radio and was unable because the radio station X was not operational. Numerous dispatchers and the manager of dispatch were aware that this required radio station was not working. This information was then not passed along to other dispatchers nor was there a procedure for dispatchers to verify that the stations were operational. I assumed on jan/mon/02 that the radio stations were functioning and I dispatched flight xyz ZZZ to ZZZ1 and flight xyz ZZZ1-ZZZ in violation of far 121.99. I discovered the problem on jan/tue/02 when I was told that 'a few days ago the station was not operational.' I was told this by a dispatcher who was present on the day the station was first found to be inoperable. I contacted the radio operator and they informed me that station X was inoperative since jan/fri/02. Air carrier operated approximately 15 flts without this VHF station in full operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SEVERAL FLTS OF B737 ACR ACFT WERE INADVERTENTLY DISPATCHED OVER OCEANIC RTE WITHOUT REQUIRED VHF GND RADIO STATION COVERAGE.

Narrative: OUR B737 HAVE NO HF RADIOS. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH FAR 121.99 WE MUST HAVE VHF RADIO COVERAGE. THE ONLY VHF RADIO COVERAGE FOR US TO USE ALONG THIS FLT IS WITH THE USE OF A CONTRACT RADIO. THE 2 STATIONS THAT MUST BE OPERATIVE ARE STATION X AND STATION Y. ON JAN/FRI/02 A DISPATCHER AT OUR ACR TRIED TO CONTACT HIS/HER FLT THROUGH THE RADIO AND WAS UNABLE BECAUSE THE RADIO STATION X WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. NUMEROUS DISPATCHERS AND THE MGR OF DISPATCH WERE AWARE THAT THIS REQUIRED RADIO STATION WAS NOT WORKING. THIS INFO WAS THEN NOT PASSED ALONG TO OTHER DISPATCHERS NOR WAS THERE A PROC FOR DISPATCHERS TO VERIFY THAT THE STATIONS WERE OPERATIONAL. I ASSUMED ON JAN/MON/02 THAT THE RADIO STATIONS WERE FUNCTIONING AND I DISPATCHED FLT XYZ ZZZ TO ZZZ1 AND FLT XYZ ZZZ1-ZZZ IN VIOLATION OF FAR 121.99. I DISCOVERED THE PROB ON JAN/TUE/02 WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT 'A FEW DAYS AGO THE STATION WAS NOT OPERATIONAL.' I WAS TOLD THIS BY A DISPATCHER WHO WAS PRESENT ON THE DAY THE STATION WAS FIRST FOUND TO BE INOPERABLE. I CONTACTED THE RADIO OPERATOR AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT STATION X WAS INOP SINCE JAN/FRI/02. ACR OPERATED APPROX 15 FLTS WITHOUT THIS VHF STATION IN FULL OP.

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.