An A319 first officer report on communication problems, loss of communication frequency, on 121 pt 8...

Attributes
ACN	538576
Time
Date	200202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	538576
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airport ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : clt.tower

Narrative:

Approaching taxi spot X we switched from ramp control to ground frequency 121.8. There was quite a bit of 'bleed-over' from another frequency but we called ground and understood we were cleared to taxi to runway 18R. After entering taxiway 'east' the bleed-over got so bad we again called ground to verify clearance. We got no response after multiple calls so we switched to tower. Tower then sent us over to ground frequency 121.9 which was a clear frequency with no problems. This particular area of the airport and frequency 121.8, has had problems for years. I would suggest a study into antenna placement or a possible change to a ground frequency which doesn't conflict. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: first officer reporter stated that this situation has existed for well over 2 yrs. The A319 top antenna is used for ground communication. He mentioned that just about any pilot that flies into clt knows of this problem. A 'common problem for everyone.' the bleed over appears to be from a clt approach control frequency. He did not know if the problem has addressed with ATC. There is an antenna field west of the runway 18R area directly across from spot X, about 200 yds away. Supplemental information: a tower specialist advised that this issue has been discussed with airport personnel. The problem was forwarded to airways facilities. Interference is thought to be created by the second harmonic of the ATIS. Staff indicated that there are no more frequencys available, so no new frequency can be allocated. They are considering a study of switching frequencys to alleviate the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 FO RPT ON COM PROBS, LOSS OF COM FREQ, ON 121 PT 80 WITH ATC BLEED OVER AND DEAD SPOTS NOTED ON TXWY E, N OF E-12 AT CLT, NC.

Narrative: APCHING TAXI SPOT X WE SWITCHED FROM RAMP CTL TO GND FREQ 121.8. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF 'BLEED-OVER' FROM ANOTHER FREQ BUT WE CALLED GND AND UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 18R. AFTER ENTERING TXWY 'E' THE BLEED-OVER GOT SO BAD WE AGAIN CALLED GND TO VERIFY CLRNC. WE GOT NO RESPONSE AFTER MULTIPLE CALLS SO WE SWITCHED TO TWR. TWR THEN SENT US OVER TO GND FREQ 121.9 WHICH WAS A CLR FREQ WITH NO PROBS. THIS PARTICULAR AREA OF THE ARPT AND FREQ 121.8, HAS HAD PROBS FOR YEARS. I WOULD SUGGEST A STUDY INTO ANTENNA PLACEMENT OR A POSSIBLE CHANGE TO A GND FREQ WHICH DOESN'T CONFLICT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FO RPTR STATED THAT THIS SIT HAS EXISTED FOR WELL OVER 2 YRS. THE A319 TOP ANTENNA IS USED FOR GND COM. HE MENTIONED THAT JUST ABOUT ANY PLT THAT FLIES INTO CLT KNOWS OF THIS PROB. A 'COMMON PROB FOR EVERYONE.' THE BLEED OVER APPEARS TO BE FROM A CLT APCH CTL FREQ. HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE PROB HAS ADDRESSED WITH ATC. THERE IS AN ANTENNA FIELD W OF THE RWY 18R AREA DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM SPOT X, ABOUT 200 YDS AWAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO: A TWR SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH ARPT PERSONNEL. THE PROB WAS FORWARDED TO AIRWAYS FACILITIES. INTERFERENCE IS THOUGHT TO BE CREATED BY THE SECOND HARMONIC OF THE ATIS. STAFF INDICATED THAT THERE ARE NO MORE FREQS AVAILABLE, SO NO NEW FREQ CAN BE ALLOCATED. THEY ARE CONSIDERING A STUDY OF SWITCHING FREQS TO ALLEVIATE THE 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.

An A319 first officer report on communication problems, loss of communication frequency, on 121 pt 80 with ATC bleed over and dead spots noted on taxiway east, north of E-12 at clt, nc.