Narrative:

Static radios -- on approach into ord there was WX on the jvl 4 arrival; we were vectored north and went through some green and yellow echoes. As we entered the WX the radios began to experience static. We passed through the WX and the radios once more became clear. Engine and wing anti-ice was on the entire time. As we were vectored for the approach we entered green/yellow echo WX again and began to experience rime ice. Immediately the radios began to get loud with static and ATC xmissions were difficult to hear and at one point unable to hear at all. I transmitted to ATC that we were unable to hear their xmissions due to the static. I selected radio #2 and no improvement on the static; radio xmissions still very hard to hear. As we exited the WX the radios became clear once more and I told ATC that we would require vectors clear of WX to avoid losing communication contact. The controller complied and we made an approach to runway 9R in VMC with no further incident. On the ground the mechanics came to the airplane and I gave them a thorough briefing. I stepped away to the terminal and when I came back the mechanics were gone and the airplane cleared of radio problems with a byte test indicating no problems found. I do not believe the problem has been fixed and think the airplane is still operating unsafely! Previous mechanics have explained to me that antenna failure is the primary problem in this type of occurrence. Because I have seen many airbuses with this type of radio static I believe there is an inherent problem with the antennas and or radios while operating in light to moderate rain. A serious flight incident could occur from lack of adequate communication due to this anomaly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES LOSS OF COM DUE TO STATIC IN CONVECTIVE WX NEAR ORD.

Narrative: STATIC RADIOS -- ON APCH INTO ORD THERE WAS WX ON THE JVL 4 ARR; WE WERE VECTORED N AND WENT THROUGH SOME GREEN AND YELLOW ECHOES. AS WE ENTERED THE WX THE RADIOS BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE STATIC. WE PASSED THROUGH THE WX AND THE RADIOS ONCE MORE BECAME CLR. ENG AND WING ANTI-ICE WAS ON THE ENTIRE TIME. AS WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE APCH WE ENTERED GREEN/YELLOW ECHO WX AGAIN AND BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE RIME ICE. IMMEDIATELY THE RADIOS BEGAN TO GET LOUD WITH STATIC AND ATC XMISSIONS WERE DIFFICULT TO HEAR AND AT ONE POINT UNABLE TO HEAR AT ALL. I XMITTED TO ATC THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO HEAR THEIR XMISSIONS DUE TO THE STATIC. I SELECTED RADIO #2 AND NO IMPROVEMENT ON THE STATIC; RADIO XMISSIONS STILL VERY HARD TO HEAR. AS WE EXITED THE WX THE RADIOS BECAME CLR ONCE MORE AND I TOLD ATC THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE VECTORS CLR OF WX TO AVOID LOSING COM CONTACT. THE CTLR COMPLIED AND WE MADE AN APCH TO RWY 9R IN VMC WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. ON THE GND THE MECHS CAME TO THE AIRPLANE AND I GAVE THEM A THOROUGH BRIEFING. I STEPPED AWAY TO THE TERMINAL AND WHEN I CAME BACK THE MECHS WERE GONE AND THE AIRPLANE CLRED OF RADIO PROBS WITH A BYTE TEST INDICATING NO PROBS FOUND. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE PROB HAS BEEN FIXED AND THINK THE AIRPLANE IS STILL OPERATING UNSAFELY! PREVIOUS MECHS HAVE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT ANTENNA FAILURE IS THE PRIMARY PROB IN THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE. BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN MANY AIRBUSES WITH THIS TYPE OF RADIO STATIC I BELIEVE THERE IS AN INHERENT PROB WITH THE ANTENNAS AND OR RADIOS WHILE OPERATING IN LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN. A SERIOUS FLT INCIDENT COULD OCCUR FROM LACK OF ADEQUATE COM DUE TO THIS ANOMALY.

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.