ZTL controller reports repeat problems of frequency failure when WX is present.

Attributes
ACN	735185
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mgm.vortac
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 22 controller non radar : 22 controller radar : 20 controller supervisory : 4
ASRS Report	735185
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Navigational Facility FAA
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : ztl.artcc

Narrative:

At approximately XA30 EST; I was working the lagrange (lgc) sector 10 high altitude in ZTL. WX was moving into the sector. Traffic was increasing and more aircraft in and around the WX were not able to hear my xmissions. This is an inbound sector that works atlanta arrs; in addition to overflt traffic. We were running 20 mi in trail to atlanta and as a result; several aircraft were on vectors. I was also preparing to hold at lgc VORTAC. Aircraft kept calling me; however; my transmitter was not working. I switched to buec (back-up) and it worked for a while; but it started to fail also. It was all relative to the aircraft's position to the WX. Some could hear me; some could not. I switched several times back and forth from my main to standby and then to buec. This caused me to have frequency congestion and increased my workload substantially. I was forced to make multiple calls to each aircraft. This; in itself; could get you confused and cause you to give the wrong clearance. This problem has been reported in the past. We lose the frequencys every time there is WX. This frequency problem caused an already busy complex sector; which was workable; to become almost unworkable. It was very frustrating and caused me undue stress. This problem needs to be addressed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR RPTS REPEAT PROBS OF FREQ FAILURE WHEN WX IS PRESENT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 EST; I WAS WORKING THE LAGRANGE (LGC) SECTOR 10 HIGH ALT IN ZTL. WX WAS MOVING INTO THE SECTOR. TFC WAS INCREASING AND MORE ACFT IN AND AROUND THE WX WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR MY XMISSIONS. THIS IS AN INBOUND SECTOR THAT WORKS ATLANTA ARRS; IN ADDITION TO OVERFLT TFC. WE WERE RUNNING 20 MI IN TRAIL TO ATLANTA AND AS A RESULT; SEVERAL ACFT WERE ON VECTORS. I WAS ALSO PREPARING TO HOLD AT LGC VORTAC. ACFT KEPT CALLING ME; HOWEVER; MY XMITTER WAS NOT WORKING. I SWITCHED TO BUEC (BACK-UP) AND IT WORKED FOR A WHILE; BUT IT STARTED TO FAIL ALSO. IT WAS ALL RELATIVE TO THE ACFT'S POS TO THE WX. SOME COULD HEAR ME; SOME COULD NOT. I SWITCHED SEVERAL TIMES BACK AND FORTH FROM MY MAIN TO STANDBY AND THEN TO BUEC. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE FREQ CONGESTION AND INCREASED MY WORKLOAD SUBSTANTIALLY. I WAS FORCED TO MAKE MULTIPLE CALLS TO EACH ACFT. THIS; IN ITSELF; COULD GET YOU CONFUSED AND CAUSE YOU TO GIVE THE WRONG CLRNC. THIS PROB HAS BEEN RPTED IN THE PAST. WE LOSE THE FREQS EVERY TIME THERE IS WX. THIS FREQ PROB CAUSED AN ALREADY BUSY COMPLEX SECTOR; WHICH WAS WORKABLE; TO BECOME ALMOST UNWORKABLE. IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING AND CAUSED ME UNDUE STRESS. THIS PROB NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

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.