Dispatcher reporter states he was unable to maintain radio contact with a flight for which he shared...

Attributes
ACN	589352
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.tracon
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	589352
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to alternate none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Flight left XXX to YYY with VFR forecast. About the time flight was on descent into YYY a line of WX began to develop south of the airport. The line was west to east and moving east. The movement didn't look like it would impact the field. The flight descended to 4000 ft and was about to go around the west side when he called me with holding instructions. Both radios were dialed up and I told him that we would go to ZZZ if we stay on the south side of the WX and have a diversion fuel of 7.6 gals. I told him to standby and I would check with ATC to see if they are going to accept any approachs. When I came back up on the radio I could not reach him. Somehow YYY ATIS was dialed up on the YYY dispatch frequency. I tried several times on both frequencys and finally heard him on ZZZ frequency. He said 'dispatch if you are monitoring, we are going to go ahead and go to ZZZ at this time.' I tried to respond but he could not hear me. I tried several times to reach him to officially give him time and initials. He never could hear me even when calling in range to ZZZ. It is not always the easiest thing to reach an aircraft on the radio. Something that will help prevent this in the future will be the use of ACARS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER RPTR STATES HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT WITH A FLT FOR WHICH HE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.

Narrative: FLT LEFT XXX TO YYY WITH VFR FORECAST. ABOUT THE TIME FLT WAS ON DSCNT INTO YYY A LINE OF WX BEGAN TO DEVELOP S OF THE ARPT. THE LINE WAS W TO E AND MOVING E. THE MOVEMENT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WOULD IMPACT THE FIELD. THE FLT DSNDED TO 4000 FT AND WAS ABOUT TO GO AROUND THE W SIDE WHEN HE CALLED ME WITH HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. BOTH RADIOS WERE DIALED UP AND I TOLD HIM THAT WE WOULD GO TO ZZZ IF WE STAY ON THE S SIDE OF THE WX AND HAVE A DIVERSION FUEL OF 7.6 GALS. I TOLD HIM TO STANDBY AND I WOULD CHK WITH ATC TO SEE IF THEY ARE GOING TO ACCEPT ANY APCHS. WHEN I CAME BACK UP ON THE RADIO I COULD NOT REACH HIM. SOMEHOW YYY ATIS WAS DIALED UP ON THE YYY DISPATCH FREQ. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES ON BOTH FREQS AND FINALLY HEARD HIM ON ZZZ FREQ. HE SAID 'DISPATCH IF YOU ARE MONITORING, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO ZZZ AT THIS TIME.' I TRIED TO RESPOND BUT HE COULD NOT HEAR ME. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO REACH HIM TO OFFICIALLY GIVE HIM TIME AND INITIALS. HE NEVER COULD HEAR ME EVEN WHEN CALLING IN RANGE TO ZZZ. IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST THING TO REACH AN ACFT ON THE RADIO. SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE WILL BE THE USE OF ACARS.

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.

Dispatcher reporter states he was unable to maintain radio contact with a flight for which he shared responsibility.