Flight crew complaint about ARTCC frequency congestion.

Attributes
ACN	89455
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jot
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	89455
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

ZAU frequency 132.15 has been extremely saturated during this time of day (approximately XX10 CDT). Today I attempted to make initial contact 5 times before contact was established. This controller is handling inbnds and departures to and from chicago. Radio calls are continuously blocked due to multiple xmissions. This condition has existed on all 3 flts that I have flown this month. There is a definite need for an additional controller and another frequency to handle the high workload. This is currently a safety problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINT ABOUT ARTCC FREQ CONGESTION.

Narrative: ZAU FREQ 132.15 HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SATURATED DURING THIS TIME OF DAY (APPROX XX10 CDT). TODAY I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE INITIAL CONTACT 5 TIMES BEFORE CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. THIS CTLR IS HANDLING INBNDS AND DEPS TO AND FROM CHICAGO. RADIO CALLS ARE CONTINUOUSLY BLOCKED DUE TO MULTIPLE XMISSIONS. THIS CONDITION HAS EXISTED ON ALL 3 FLTS THAT I HAVE FLOWN THIS MONTH. THERE IS A DEFINITE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL CTLR AND ANOTHER FREQ TO HANDLE THE HIGH WORKLOAD. THIS IS CURRENTLY A SAFETY PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.