ZAU controller expressed concern regarding limited radio coverage in parts of assigned airspace.

Attributes
ACN	731784
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pmm.vor
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 310/T310C
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 7 controller time certified in position1 : 2
ASRS Report	731784
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : zau.artcc

Narrative:

The aircraft was cleared on the preferred arrival route into dpa airport (from yip the aircraft was over pmm wurko pappi obk dpa). I shipped the aircraft from the sparta sector to the kubbs sector at the boundary. About 5 mins later the aircraft came back to my frequency and said he was unable to get a response on the frequency I told him to go to which was 133.2. I waited for the aircraft to move another 12 miles to the west and then told him to try again and this time it was successful. The aircraft advised me that he could hear the controller the whole time but that the controller was unable to hear him. I also checked with the kubbs sector controller and he advised me that he never heard the aircraft either. This is a common occurrence and is very dangerous. We should have frequency coverage in the entire airspace we are assigned to work. The problem is simply that we (at the kubbs sector) cannot hear the aircraft who are generally below 100 and within 12 to 18 miles of pmm VOR. Solution would be to make the frequency higher power or move it someplace else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING LIMITED RADIO COVERAGE IN PARTS OF ASSIGNED AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS CLEARED ON THE PREFERRED ARRIVAL ROUTE INTO DPA AIRPORT (FROM YIP THE ACFT WAS OVER PMM WURKO PAPPI OBK DPA). I SHIPPED THE ACFT FROM THE SPARTA SECTOR TO THE KUBBS SECTOR AT THE BOUNDARY. ABOUT 5 MINS LATER THE ACFT CAME BACK TO MY FREQUENCY AND SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE ON THE FREQUENCY I TOLD HIM TO GO TO WHICH WAS 133.2. I WAITED FOR THE ACFT TO MOVE ANOTHER 12 MILES TO THE WEST AND THEN TOLD HIM TO TRY AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE ACFT ADVISED ME THAT HE COULD HEAR THE CONTROLLER THE WHOLE TIME BUT THAT THE CONTROLLER WAS UNABLE TO HEAR HIM. I ALSO CHECKED WITH THE KUBBS SECTOR CONTROLLER AND HE ADVISED ME THAT HE NEVER HEARD THE ACFT EITHER. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. WE SHOULD HAVE FREQUENCY COVERAGE IN THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE WE ARE ASSIGNED TO WORK. THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLY THAT WE (AT THE KUBBS SECTOR) CANNOT HEAR THE ACFT WHO ARE GENERALLY BELOW 100 AND WITHIN 12 TO 18 MILES OF PMM VOR. SOLUTION WOULD BE TO MAKE THE FREQUENCY HIGHER POWER OR MOVE IT SOMEPLACE ELSE.

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.