Narrative:

Our paired (having 2 sites for 1 frequency) frequencys 133.75; 126.1 and 128.15 and their UHF pairs; do not work. There has been a ucr report filed by another controller on 128.15. We have been complaining about the frequencys for several months. 2 weeks ago a 'comtec' told a supervisor 'there's nothing we can do about it.' some supervisors roll their eyes when the issue is brought up again and again. It's being treated as a joke. I've waited for the FAA to take care of this in-house; but that is not going to happen. I know this may seem emotional rather than factual; but I'm out of options and have nowhere else to turn before the issue causes a catastrophe. The frequency lights up on the voice switching and communications system (vscs); but there is no audio. We know that the pilot is talking; but we receive no transmission. When the problem started we were told to switch to standby. This doesn't work. Then we were told to shut the diversity algorithm off. This also does not work; but lessens the frequency of occurrence. The tradeoff is that the pilots now sound like they are talking into a bucket. We simply cannot understand them. The problem was most prevalent on 128.15 while 133.75 and 126.1 had significant static and distortion issues. I have tried every combination of main and standby transmitters and receivers as well as the use of diversity algorithm. Nothing will rectify the situation. Each time I insist that the supervisor report the issue; they go through the same questions. 'Are you on mains?' 'do you have the diversity algorithm off?' this indicates to me that there has been no effort taken on the issue even though it has been occurring for several months. I have seen instances of the communication unit trying to falsify the documentation by calling the specialty and asking the supervisor if he has any problems with 128.15 or any of the other frequencys. The supervisor will in turn ask the controller working the position. Assume the controller has been there a short time and hasn't noticed the lights on the voice switching and communications system light up with no communication. He will tell the supervisor that he hasn't had problems with the frequency who will in turn tell the 'comtec.' the issue is then closed on the records until another controller has the supervisor report the issue. This has been going on so long and is becoming such a joke. It is considered a continuous and standing issue to the controllers. So much so; that we don't bother to brief the relieving controller that 128.15; 133.75; or 126.1 are out. It's well known. The issue is not due just to the pairing. 128.6 is a paired frequency and works very well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE CONTINUED FAC RADIO PROBLEMS; CITING ALLEGED SUPVR AMBIVALENCE TOWARD THE PROBLEM.

Narrative: OUR PAIRED (HAVING 2 SITES FOR 1 FREQ) FREQS 133.75; 126.1 AND 128.15 AND THEIR UHF PAIRS; DO NOT WORK. THERE HAS BEEN A UCR RPT FILED BY ANOTHER CTLR ON 128.15. WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FREQS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. 2 WKS AGO A 'COMTEC' TOLD A SUPVR 'THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.' SOME SUPVRS ROLL THEIR EYES WHEN THE ISSUE IS BROUGHT UP AGAIN AND AGAIN. IT'S BEING TREATED AS A JOKE. I'VE WAITED FOR THE FAA TO TAKE CARE OF THIS IN-HOUSE; BUT THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I KNOW THIS MAY SEEM EMOTIONAL RATHER THAN FACTUAL; BUT I'M OUT OF OPTIONS AND HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN BEFORE THE ISSUE CAUSES A CATASTROPHE. THE FREQ LIGHTS UP ON THE VOICE SWITCHING AND COMS SYS (VSCS); BUT THERE IS NO AUDIO. WE KNOW THAT THE PLT IS TALKING; BUT WE RECEIVE NO XMISSION. WHEN THE PROB STARTED WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO STANDBY. THIS DOESN'T WORK. THEN WE WERE TOLD TO SHUT THE DIVERSITY ALGORITHM OFF. THIS ALSO DOES NOT WORK; BUT LESSENS THE FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE. THE TRADEOFF IS THAT THE PLTS NOW SOUND LIKE THEY ARE TALKING INTO A BUCKET. WE SIMPLY CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM. THE PROB WAS MOST PREVALENT ON 128.15 WHILE 133.75 AND 126.1 HAD SIGNIFICANT STATIC AND DISTORTION ISSUES. I HAVE TRIED EVERY COMBINATION OF MAIN AND STANDBY XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS AS WELL AS THE USE OF DIVERSITY ALGORITHM. NOTHING WILL RECTIFY THE SITUATION. EACH TIME I INSIST THAT THE SUPVR RPT THE ISSUE; THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME QUESTIONS. 'ARE YOU ON MAINS?' 'DO YOU HAVE THE DIVERSITY ALGORITHM OFF?' THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO EFFORT TAKEN ON THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I HAVE SEEN INSTANCES OF THE COM UNIT TRYING TO FALSIFY THE DOCUMENTATION BY CALLING THE SPECIALTY AND ASKING THE SUPVR IF HE HAS ANY PROBS WITH 128.15 OR ANY OF THE OTHER FREQS. THE SUPVR WILL IN TURN ASK THE CTLR WORKING THE POS. ASSUME THE CTLR HAS BEEN THERE A SHORT TIME AND HASN'T NOTICED THE LIGHTS ON THE VOICE SWITCHING AND COMS SYS LIGHT UP WITH NO COM. HE WILL TELL THE SUPVR THAT HE HASN'T HAD PROBS WITH THE FREQ WHO WILL IN TURN TELL THE 'COMTEC.' THE ISSUE IS THEN CLOSED ON THE RECORDS UNTIL ANOTHER CTLR HAS THE SUPVR RPT THE ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SO LONG AND IS BECOMING SUCH A JOKE. IT IS CONSIDERED A CONTINUOUS AND STANDING ISSUE TO THE CTLRS. SO MUCH SO; THAT WE DON'T BOTHER TO BRIEF THE RELIEVING CTLR THAT 128.15; 133.75; OR 126.1 ARE OUT. IT'S WELL KNOWN. THE ISSUE IS NOT DUE JUST TO THE PAIRING. 128.6 IS A PAIRED FREQ AND WORKS VERY WELL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.