C172 pilot reported frequency congestion at cdw.

Attributes
ACN	575625
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 31 flight time total : 492 flight time type : 479
ASRS Report	575625
Person 2
Function	oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : executed go around other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Approaching cdw, I called tower about 10 NM out with no response. Radio traffic was very heavy between tower and several aircraft. I made second call, was acknowledged, and instructed to report '2 mi right base for runway 22.' instruction was acknowledged, and I set up for a right base pattern entry. I called tower about 2 mi out, and got no response. Frequency was active. Made second call, no response. Could not break into frequency until I was about 1/2 mi from base-to-final turn point. Tower responded and told me to 'maintain heading and climb now.' while I was climbing, controller informed me I should have called while on base leg. I replied that I had tried twice and could not get a clear frequency until I made the last call and got the climb instruction. While climbing, the controller instructed me to make a left turn and report 'final' for runway 22, which I acknowledged. At this point, the controller notified all pilots to clear the frequency, 'take 3 deep breaths,' as there were many aircraft around and communicators were talking over each other. When he finished, I reported reaching final, was cleared to land, and landed. While taxiing, I was instructed to call the tower. Upon calling, the controller said cdw was normally a busy airport, but today 'it was crazy.' he informed me I should have entered the pattern on a 'downwind leg.' I replied that he instructed me to enter '2 mi right base.' the conversation was cordial. We both acknowledged the busy airport and overloaded tower frequency. I feel the problem at the airport was driven by pilots not waiting for a tower/aircraft exchange to be completed before broadcasting. As I was given a pattern report point, I anticipated the controller visually following me to land. Perhaps he was trying to contact me also. I could not hear a call from him, nor did he hear mine. I appreciate the controller's efforts to manage the frequency and airport traffic. I sensed he felt I had caused a problem when I was only following the instructions I received from him up to the point where neither of us could complete an exchange.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT RPTED FREQ CONGESTION AT CDW.

Narrative: APCHING CDW, I CALLED TWR ABOUT 10 NM OUT WITH NO RESPONSE. RADIO TFC WAS VERY HVY BTWN TWR AND SEVERAL ACFT. I MADE SECOND CALL, WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, AND INSTRUCTED TO RPT '2 MI R BASE FOR RWY 22.' INSTRUCTION WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, AND I SET UP FOR A R BASE PATTERN ENTRY. I CALLED TWR ABOUT 2 MI OUT, AND GOT NO RESPONSE. FREQ WAS ACTIVE. MADE SECOND CALL, NO RESPONSE. COULD NOT BREAK INTO FREQ UNTIL I WAS ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM BASE-TO-FINAL TURN POINT. TWR RESPONDED AND TOLD ME TO 'MAINTAIN HDG AND CLB NOW.' WHILE I WAS CLBING, CTLR INFORMED ME I SHOULD HAVE CALLED WHILE ON BASE LEG. I REPLIED THAT I HAD TRIED TWICE AND COULD NOT GET A CLR FREQ UNTIL I MADE THE LAST CALL AND GOT THE CLB INSTRUCTION. WHILE CLBING, THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE A L TURN AND RPT 'FINAL' FOR RWY 22, WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR NOTIFIED ALL PLTS TO CLR THE FREQ, 'TAKE 3 DEEP BREATHS,' AS THERE WERE MANY ACFT AROUND AND COMMUNICATORS WERE TALKING OVER EACH OTHER. WHEN HE FINISHED, I RPTED REACHING FINAL, WAS CLRED TO LAND, AND LANDED. WHILE TAXIING, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE TWR. UPON CALLING, THE CTLR SAID CDW WAS NORMALLY A BUSY ARPT, BUT TODAY 'IT WAS CRAZY.' HE INFORMED ME I SHOULD HAVE ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A 'DOWNWIND LEG.' I REPLIED THAT HE INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER '2 MI R BASE.' THE CONVERSATION WAS CORDIAL. WE BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THE BUSY ARPT AND OVERLOADED TWR FREQ. I FEEL THE PROB AT THE ARPT WAS DRIVEN BY PLTS NOT WAITING FOR A TWR/ACFT EXCHANGE TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE BROADCASTING. AS I WAS GIVEN A PATTERN RPT POINT, I ANTICIPATED THE CTLR VISUALLY FOLLOWING ME TO LAND. PERHAPS HE WAS TRYING TO CONTACT ME ALSO. I COULD NOT HEAR A CALL FROM HIM, NOR DID HE HEAR MINE. I APPRECIATE THE CTLR'S EFFORTS TO MANAGE THE FREQ AND ARPT TFC. I SENSED HE FELT I HAD CAUSED A PROB WHEN I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS I RECEIVED FROM HIM UP TO THE POINT WHERE NEITHER OF US COULD COMPLETE AN EXCHANGE.

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.