ZHU controller voiced concern regarding ongoing radio problems with frequency 133.75.

Attributes
ACN	789316
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lrd.vortac
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 38000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 16
ASRS Report	789316
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Navigational Facility FAA
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : zhu.artcc

Narrative:

133.75 has been almost unusable for several months now. Controllers have been shutting off the lrd site and using the qxb site only to reduce static and missed communications. Recently the areas in which we cannot communication with aircraft have increased. The controller working the radar position has been certified for 1 day on that position. Traffic was moderate. The controller was unable to communication with 2 aircraft and became distraction. Our workload increased to the point that neither of us were able to maintain scan as the radar controller tried to switch between transmitters and receivers to get readbacks from the aircraft. I informed the first supervisor of the problem and he told me to let him know if it happened again. This is a joke in the specialty because a supervisor yrs ago was told that a controller had lost all his frequencys. The supervisor told him 'if it happens again; let me know.' I informed a second supervisor about the problem; and he took no action. I informed a third supervisor when he came back from break and he reported the issue. The communication unit said that this was the first they had heard of the problem. I have reported it no less than 20 times and I'm just 1 of more than 30 controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING ONGOING RADIO PROBLEMS WITH FREQ 133.75.

Narrative: 133.75 HAS BEEN ALMOST UNUSABLE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. CTLRS HAVE BEEN SHUTTING OFF THE LRD SITE AND USING THE QXB SITE ONLY TO REDUCE STATIC AND MISSED COMS. RECENTLY THE AREAS IN WHICH WE CANNOT COM WITH ACFT HAVE INCREASED. THE CTLR WORKING THE RADAR POS HAS BEEN CERTIFIED FOR 1 DAY ON THAT POS. TFC WAS MODERATE. THE CTLR WAS UNABLE TO COM WITH 2 ACFT AND BECAME DISTR. OUR WORKLOAD INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT NEITHER OF US WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SCAN AS THE RADAR CTLR TRIED TO SWITCH BTWN XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS TO GET READBACKS FROM THE ACFT. I INFORMED THE FIRST SUPVR OF THE PROB AND HE TOLD ME TO LET HIM KNOW IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS IS A JOKE IN THE SPECIALTY BECAUSE A SUPVR YRS AGO WAS TOLD THAT A CTLR HAD LOST ALL HIS FREQS. THE SUPVR TOLD HIM 'IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN; LET ME KNOW.' I INFORMED A SECOND SUPVR ABOUT THE PROB; AND HE TOOK NO ACTION. I INFORMED A THIRD SUPVR WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM BREAK AND HE RPTED THE ISSUE. THE COM UNIT SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD OF THE PROB. I HAVE RPTED IT NO LESS THAN 20 TIMES AND I'M JUST 1 OF MORE THAN 30 CTLRS.

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.