Narrative:

Prior to departing chino, ca on a very smoggy low visibility day on a VFR flight plan for scottsdale az, I requested and received from chino ground control a departure squawk and frequency (0245 and 135.4). After becoming airborne, I tried repeatedly to raise ontario departure, at least seven (7) times. No answer, although I could hear the female controller talking to other pilots. Finally, just out of riverside airport, I switched to 119.65 and immediately raised a controller. He could not receive my squawk, and questioned where I had received the code. He switched me to 0254, and could still not receive my squawk. After climbing west/northwest of a low mountain (northwest of sunnymead,) I was finally picked up on radar, and given headings and altitudes. I requested my flight plan be opened, which I had previously filed by telephone. The controller seemed disgruntled since I had departed 1:45 minutes ahead of schedule (XXX Z). I was then vectored eastward and told to call ontario approach by telephone when I returned to scottsdale. (Collect) I called and a woman refused to take the call per area manager. All of this was somewhat concerning to me and a certificated pilot who was a passenger on the flight. To my knowledge, there was no violation nor close call situations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. There is a corridor between the two arsas which pilot was trying to use to remain clear until communication established. Eastbound heading would keep clear of arsa, but ral air traffic area is problem if remaining below arsa floor. Frequency assigned by ground brought no response during several attempts. Pilot used published frequency on chart to make contact. Controller very surprised, asked where and how pilot had gotten code to squawk. 'Most unusual procedure' was the response. Reporter upset that call was not accepted after being told to call collect. No follow up by FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH PENETRATION ARSA, ATA.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING CHINO, CA ON A VERY SMOGGY LOW VIS DAY ON A VFR FLT PLAN FOR SCOTTSDALE AZ, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM CHINO GND CTL A DEP SQUAWK AND FREQ (0245 AND 135.4). AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, I TRIED REPEATEDLY TO RAISE ONTARIO DEP, AT LEAST SEVEN (7) TIMES. NO ANSWER, ALTHOUGH I COULD HEAR THE FEMALE CTLR TALKING TO OTHER PLTS. FINALLY, JUST OUT OF RIVERSIDE ARPT, I SWITCHED TO 119.65 AND IMMEDIATELY RAISED A CTLR. HE COULD NOT RECEIVE MY SQUAWK, AND QUESTIONED WHERE I HAD RECEIVED THE CODE. HE SWITCHED ME TO 0254, AND COULD STILL NOT RECEIVE MY SQUAWK. AFTER CLBING W/NW OF A LOW MOUNTAIN (NW OF SUNNYMEAD,) I WAS FINALLY PICKED UP ON RADAR, AND GIVEN HDGS AND ALTS. I REQUESTED MY FLT PLAN BE OPENED, WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILED BY TELEPHONE. THE CTLR SEEMED DISGRUNTLED SINCE I HAD DEPARTED 1:45 MINUTES AHEAD OF SCHEDULE (XXX Z). I WAS THEN VECTORED EASTWARD AND TOLD TO CALL ONTARIO APCH BY TELEPHONE WHEN I RETURNED TO SCOTTSDALE. (COLLECT) I CALLED AND A WOMAN REFUSED TO TAKE THE CALL PER AREA MGR. ALL OF THIS WAS SOMEWHAT CONCERNING TO ME AND A CERTIFICATED PLT WHO WAS A PAX ON THE FLT. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WAS NO VIOLATION NOR CLOSE CALL SITUATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. THERE IS A CORRIDOR BTWN THE TWO ARSAS WHICH PLT WAS TRYING TO USE TO REMAIN CLR UNTIL COM ESTABLISHED. EBND HDG WOULD KEEP CLR OF ARSA, BUT RAL ATA IS PROB IF REMAINING BELOW ARSA FLOOR. FREQ ASSIGNED BY GND BROUGHT NO RESPONSE DURING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. PLT USED PUBLISHED FREQ ON CHART TO MAKE CONTACT. CTLR VERY SURPRISED, ASKED WHERE AND HOW PLT HAD GOTTEN CODE TO SQUAWK. 'MOST UNUSUAL PROC' WAS THE RESPONSE. RPTR UPSET THAT CALL WAS NOT ACCEPTED AFTER BEING TOLD TO CALL COLLECT. NO FOLLOW UP BY FAA.

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.