Approach controller unable to read due to aircraft radio problem.

Attributes
ACN	95695
Time
Date	198809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mry
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mry tower : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	95695
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On this trip I took a friend around big sur to see the sights and experienced difficulty communicating with mry approach. I figured the controller was just ignoring me because I wasn't IFR, since the radios were working fine at pao and watsonville. However, coming back from big sur the controller acknowledged very weak xmissions from an small aircraft. Since I couldn't establish communications I proceeded through the TRSA above the mry air traffic area with extreme caution. When we got back to watsonville another pilot reported that my xmissions were very weak and scratchy. I dropped off my passenger, then unplugged and stowed the second headset to preclude cockpit clutter. Just as I did that the radio vol changed significantly. On the return to pao there were again no radio problems with moffett tower or pao tower. When I got home I took apart the second headset and found that a wire in the microphone plug was shorting to the connector shell. Thus, there actually was an electrical problem and mry approach really could not hear me. I had trouble only with them because that was the only time the faulty headset was plugged in. Lesson learned: often the controller is trying to do what he's supposed to and the problem is somewhere else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR UNABLE TO READ DUE TO ACFT RADIO PROBLEM.

Narrative: ON THIS TRIP I TOOK A FRIEND AROUND BIG SUR TO SEE THE SIGHTS AND EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH MRY APCH. I FIGURED THE CTLR WAS JUST IGNORING ME BECAUSE I WASN'T IFR, SINCE THE RADIOS WERE WORKING FINE AT PAO AND WATSONVILLE. HOWEVER, COMING BACK FROM BIG SUR THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED VERY WEAK XMISSIONS FROM AN SMA. SINCE I COULDN'T ESTABLISH COMS I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE TRSA ABOVE THE MRY ATA WITH EXTREME CAUTION. WHEN WE GOT BACK TO WATSONVILLE ANOTHER PLT RPTED THAT MY XMISSIONS WERE VERY WEAK AND SCRATCHY. I DROPPED OFF MY PAX, THEN UNPLUGGED AND STOWED THE SECOND HEADSET TO PRECLUDE COCKPIT CLUTTER. JUST AS I DID THAT THE RADIO VOL CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY. ON THE RETURN TO PAO THERE WERE AGAIN NO RADIO PROBS WITH MOFFETT TWR OR PAO TWR. WHEN I GOT HOME I TOOK APART THE SECOND HEADSET AND FOUND THAT A WIRE IN THE MIC PLUG WAS SHORTING TO THE CONNECTOR SHELL. THUS, THERE ACTUALLY WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROB AND MRY APCH REALLY COULD NOT HEAR ME. I HAD TROUBLE ONLY WITH THEM BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THE FAULTY HEADSET WAS PLUGGED IN. LESSON LEARNED: OFTEN THE CTLR IS TRYING TO DO WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO AND THE PROB IS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

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.