Narrative:

On arrival at nome; had extreme difficulty contacting FSS. Attempted contact on 123.6. Also ATIS was difficult to understand. I visited the FSS and expressed my concern for poor communication due to the poor WX and my flight would be to the east with poor WX if it continued. Two days later; departed nome on an SVFR clearance. At approximately 8-10 mi attempted to call clear of class east surface area. I was hearing some broken xmissions and assumed that I had been received. I was flying at approximately 300 ft; 1/2 mi along the coast; approximately 095 degree radial. I was requested to call nome FSS by landline. I telephoned nome FSS and discussed the situation. I again relayed my concerns of the poor communication situation east of the nome class east surface area and apologized for not confirming that I had been cleared/received. Problem: once cleared of class east surface; I did not feel comfortable to re-enter airspace for radio call. I felt that I was heard clearing the airspace. It would also require higher altitude attempts and increased maneuvering in poor WX. No other communication was available away from nome. All the above was discussed with nome FSS. I relayed that an rco or some relay should be installed east of the nome class east surface so aircraft operating at low altitudes could communication with FSS. During the conversation with FSS; all appears to be satisfied with the probability of no other action taken by the FAA. In fact; I was told that this conversation does not need to be on a recorded line and was given telephone number for discussion. Original call was on a different telephone number which I was told was being recorded. No communication during poor WX and a requirement to clear airspace develops situations for pilots that could contribute to an accident. A helicopter pilot maneuvering for higher altitudes; different position; changing frequencys and controling his aircraft in marginal conditions is a difficult task. Communication system at nome should possibly be reviewed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT NOTES THAT VHF RADIO CONTACT CANNOT BE MAINTAINED IN CLASS E AIRSPACE E OF OME ALLOWING PLTS TO CANCEL SVFR.

Narrative: ON ARR AT NOME; HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY CONTACTING FSS. ATTEMPTED CONTACT ON 123.6. ALSO ATIS WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. I VISITED THE FSS AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERN FOR POOR COM DUE TO THE POOR WX AND MY FLT WOULD BE TO THE E WITH POOR WX IF IT CONTINUED. TWO DAYS LATER; DEPARTED NOME ON AN SVFR CLRNC. AT APPROX 8-10 MI ATTEMPTED TO CALL CLR OF CLASS E SURFACE AREA. I WAS HEARING SOME BROKEN XMISSIONS AND ASSUMED THAT I HAD BEEN RECEIVED. I WAS FLYING AT APPROX 300 FT; 1/2 MI ALONG THE COAST; APPROX 095 DEG RADIAL. I WAS REQUESTED TO CALL NOME FSS BY LANDLINE. I TELEPHONED NOME FSS AND DISCUSSED THE SITUATION. I AGAIN RELAYED MY CONCERNS OF THE POOR COM SITUATION E OF THE NOME CLASS E SURFACE AREA AND APOLOGIZED FOR NOT CONFIRMING THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED/RECEIVED. PROB: ONCE CLRED OF CLASS E SURFACE; I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TO RE-ENTER AIRSPACE FOR RADIO CALL. I FELT THAT I WAS HEARD CLRING THE AIRSPACE. IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE HIGHER ALT ATTEMPTS AND INCREASED MANEUVERING IN POOR WX. NO OTHER COM WAS AVAILABLE AWAY FROM NOME. ALL THE ABOVE WAS DISCUSSED WITH NOME FSS. I RELAYED THAT AN RCO OR SOME RELAY SHOULD BE INSTALLED E OF THE NOME CLASS E SURFACE SO ACFT OPERATING AT LOW ALTS COULD COM WITH FSS. DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH FSS; ALL APPEARS TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE PROBABILITY OF NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN BY THE FAA. IN FACT; I WAS TOLD THAT THIS CONVERSATION DOES NOT NEED TO BE ON A RECORDED LINE AND WAS GIVEN TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR DISCUSSION. ORIGINAL CALL WAS ON A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE NUMBER WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS BEING RECORDED. NO COM DURING POOR WX AND A REQUIREMENT TO CLR AIRSPACE DEVELOPS SITUATIONS FOR PLTS THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT. A HELI PLT MANEUVERING FOR HIGHER ALTS; DIFFERENT POS; CHANGING FREQS AND CTLING HIS ACFT IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS IS A DIFFICULT TASK. COM SYS AT NOME SHOULD POSSIBLY BE REVIEWED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.