Narrative:

Frequency 133.45 located at imt is used for ZMP; area 1; sector 14; FL360 and above. This frequency does not carry to the west side of sector 14. Normally this is just a nuisance; shipping aircraft to the sector before the boundary as required and having them come back to check the correctness of the frequency; but when WX is involved; it can be a safety issue. On this particular night; sector 25 (west of sector 14) was extremely busy; well above approved number of aircraft for the sector. Sectors 13 and 14 in area 1 were also very busy. Due to WX; aircraft needed route changes; deviations; and altitude changes. With 133.45 not being adequate to cover the west side of sector 14; aircraft eastbound into that sector would return to sector 25's frequency with their requests. The radar associate would have to coordinate with the sector the aircraft was in; and the radar controller would have to issue instructions to these aircraft in someone else's airspace. At a time that sector 25 was so far over its numbers; this just added to the complexity and workload of the sector and could have easily compromised safety. This frequency problem needs to be addressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING RADIO COVERAGE IN PORTIONS OF SECTOR 14; ESPECIALLY CRITICAL DURING WX DEV EVENTS.

Narrative: FREQ 133.45 LOCATED AT IMT IS USED FOR ZMP; AREA 1; SECTOR 14; FL360 AND ABOVE. THIS FREQ DOES NOT CARRY TO THE W SIDE OF SECTOR 14. NORMALLY THIS IS JUST A NUISANCE; SHIPPING ACFT TO THE SECTOR BEFORE THE BOUNDARY AS REQUIRED AND HAVING THEM COME BACK TO CHK THE CORRECTNESS OF THE FREQ; BUT WHEN WX IS INVOLVED; IT CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE. ON THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT; SECTOR 25 (W OF SECTOR 14) WAS EXTREMELY BUSY; WELL ABOVE APPROVED NUMBER OF ACFT FOR THE SECTOR. SECTORS 13 AND 14 IN AREA 1 WERE ALSO VERY BUSY. DUE TO WX; ACFT NEEDED RTE CHANGES; DEVS; AND ALT CHANGES. WITH 133.45 NOT BEING ADEQUATE TO COVER THE W SIDE OF SECTOR 14; ACFT EBOUND INTO THAT SECTOR WOULD RETURN TO SECTOR 25'S FREQ WITH THEIR REQUESTS. THE RADAR ASSOCIATE WOULD HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE SECTOR THE ACFT WAS IN; AND THE RADAR CTLR WOULD HAVE TO ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO THESE ACFT IN SOMEONE ELSE'S AIRSPACE. AT A TIME THAT SECTOR 25 WAS SO FAR OVER ITS NUMBERS; THIS JUST ADDED TO THE COMPLEXITY AND WORKLOAD OF THE SECTOR AND COULD HAVE EASILY COMPROMISED SAFETY. THIS FREQ 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.