B717 flight crew return to land at jax when encountering radio communication loss.

Attributes
ACN	570720
Time
Date	200212
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jax.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc tracon : jax.tracon tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717 (Formerly MD-95)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	570720
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : com other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On climb out from jax, runway 7, departure complained of poor quality radio transmission. There had been no prior indications of radio trouble. The first officer, who was the PF, was able to communication clearly. We were given a turn to the northwest and a climb to 15000 ft. Shortly thereafter, we realized that we had no communication at all. We maintained heading and altitude while attempting to troubleshoot. Not having any success, we decided to return to jax. We set 7600 in the transponder and proceeded back. Beginning a descent as we approached the airport. For approximately 30 seconds, the #2 radio worked as we approached jax, and during that time, we were able to notify company of our return and establish that jax approach was aware of our situation and got the active approach and a vector to the downwind for runway 7 ILS. Communication was again lost and we proceeded onto the base and then final and an uneventful landing. I called the tower after landing to thank them for their help as well as jax center. Neither indicated any concern about the procedures used. Contract maintenance found both communication radios to be without power. They were able to restore the radios with a generous amount of re-racking and swapping.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 FLC RETURN TO LAND AT JAX WHEN ENCOUNTERING RADIO COM LOSS.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM JAX, RWY 7, DEP COMPLAINED OF POOR QUALITY RADIO XMISSION. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR INDICATIONS OF RADIO TROUBLE. THE FO, WHO WAS THE PF, WAS ABLE TO COM CLRLY. WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO THE NW AND A CLB TO 15000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD NO COM AT ALL. WE MAINTAINED HDG AND ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TROUBLESHOOT. NOT HAVING ANY SUCCESS, WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO JAX. WE SET 7600 IN THE XPONDER AND PROCEEDED BACK. BEGINNING A DSCNT AS WE APCHED THE ARPT. FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS, THE #2 RADIO WORKED AS WE APCHED JAX, AND DURING THAT TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO NOTIFY COMPANY OF OUR RETURN AND ESTABLISH THAT JAX APCH WAS AWARE OF OUR SIT AND GOT THE ACTIVE APCH AND A VECTOR TO THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7 ILS. COM WAS AGAIN LOST AND WE PROCEEDED ONTO THE BASE AND THEN FINAL AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I CALLED THE TWR AFTER LNDG TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR HELP AS WELL AS JAX CTR. NEITHER INDICATED ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE PROCS USED. CONTRACT MAINT FOUND BOTH COM RADIOS TO BE WITHOUT PWR. THEY WERE ABLE TO RESTORE THE RADIOS WITH A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF RE-RACKING AND SWAPPING.

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.