Narrative:

133.75 is the south texas high altitude frequency. It has been malfunctioning for yrs. Controllers have reverted to shutting one of the sites off to reduce the amount of static and noise on the frequency. We're making up our own methods for dealing with these problems. This helps somewhat; but we have problems communicating with all aircraft. I spent the entire shift working this sector because I was training a new controller. During our sessions we had several incidents in which we could not talk to pilots or understand pilot communications. The problem becomes unmanageable during heavy rain or thunderstorm activity in the vicinity of the sites. Just when we need it most; it is at its worst. During one session; we instructed an aircraft to turn 20 degrees right and he turned 20 degrees left. The readback was unintelligible; but by the time we corrected him and could understand what he had said; he was in confliction with the aircraft we were turning him away from. My student did not question the readback. This leads me to believe that controllers are accepting the communication problems with multiple frequencys at ZHU and are becoming complacent about readbacks as a result. There were numerous times we had to tell aircraft so 'say again.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR DESCRIBED UNINTELLIGIBLE XMISSIONS; ALLEGING THIS FREQ PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING.

Narrative: 133.75 IS THE S TEXAS HIGH ALT FREQ. IT HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING FOR YRS. CTLRS HAVE REVERTED TO SHUTTING ONE OF THE SITES OFF TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF STATIC AND NOISE ON THE FREQ. WE'RE MAKING UP OUR OWN METHODS FOR DEALING WITH THESE PROBS. THIS HELPS SOMEWHAT; BUT WE HAVE PROBS COMMUNICATING WITH ALL ACFT. I SPENT THE ENTIRE SHIFT WORKING THIS SECTOR BECAUSE I WAS TRAINING A NEW CTLR. DURING OUR SESSIONS WE HAD SEVERAL INCIDENTS IN WHICH WE COULD NOT TALK TO PLTS OR UNDERSTAND PLT COMS. THE PROB BECOMES UNMANAGEABLE DURING HVY RAIN OR TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE SITES. JUST WHEN WE NEED IT MOST; IT IS AT ITS WORST. DURING ONE SESSION; WE INSTRUCTED AN ACFT TO TURN 20 DEGS R AND HE TURNED 20 DEGS L. THE READBACK WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE; BUT BY THE TIME WE CORRECTED HIM AND COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAD SAID; HE WAS IN CONFLICTION WITH THE ACFT WE WERE TURNING HIM AWAY FROM. MY STUDENT DID NOT QUESTION THE READBACK. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT CTLRS ARE ACCEPTING THE COM PROBS WITH MULTIPLE FREQS AT ZHU AND ARE BECOMING COMPLACENT ABOUT READBACKS AS A RESULT. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TIMES WE HAD TO TELL ACFT SO 'SAY AGAIN.'

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.