Narrative:

All radio equipped aircraft have experienced frequency interference on unicom and approach frequencys. In fact, on all VHF frequencys within a 3 mi radius of expressway airpark. The interference is in the form of garbled rock music which coincides with a rock station on 107.5 MHZ. Numerous complaints to ATC, FAA GADO and the radio station have been to no avail. Main problem is inability to contact ATC on an IFR departure until 3-5 mi from the airport (2EJ). Also, we must stay under the floor of the arsa until 2-WAY communication is established with ATC, again 3-5 mi from the airport. This is a potentially dangerous situation. Expressway airpark is right on the edge of a very busy VFR corridor between tinker AFB and will rogers international airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has already contacted the FCC. In fact, he took their engrs and their equipment up in his aircraft so that they could measure the quality of the interfering radio signals. They found the signals to be pure and stated that the commercial broadcasters were doing nothing wrong. Reporter said that the front end (early stages) of airborne communication gear is overpwred by the strong signals which are received from a number of FM stations whose antennas are clustered in an antenna farm. He said that the pilot group was next going to try to get a sympathetic ear from congress. He also said that FAA seemed to be surprised to learn that they couldn't force the FCC to have the broadcasters cease or at least reduce power level of their broadcasts. Only aircraft flying 3000' and below and within a mile or 2 are affected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMERCIAL FM STATIONS INTERFERE WITH AIRBORNE VHF COMMUNICATIONS.

Narrative: ALL RADIO EQUIPPED ACFT HAVE EXPERIENCED FREQ INTERFERENCE ON UNICOM AND APCH FREQS. IN FACT, ON ALL VHF FREQS WITHIN A 3 MI RADIUS OF EXPRESSWAY AIRPARK. THE INTERFERENCE IS IN THE FORM OF GARBLED ROCK MUSIC WHICH COINCIDES WITH A ROCK STATION ON 107.5 MHZ. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO ATC, FAA GADO AND THE RADIO STATION HAVE BEEN TO NO AVAIL. MAIN PROB IS INABILITY TO CONTACT ATC ON AN IFR DEP UNTIL 3-5 MI FROM THE ARPT (2EJ). ALSO, WE MUST STAY UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE ARSA UNTIL 2-WAY COM IS ESTABLISHED WITH ATC, AGAIN 3-5 MI FROM THE ARPT. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. EXPRESSWAY AIRPARK IS RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF A VERY BUSY VFR CORRIDOR BTWN TINKER AFB AND WILL ROGERS INTL ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAS ALREADY CONTACTED THE FCC. IN FACT, HE TOOK THEIR ENGRS AND THEIR EQUIP UP IN HIS ACFT SO THAT THEY COULD MEASURE THE QUALITY OF THE INTERFERING RADIO SIGNALS. THEY FOUND THE SIGNALS TO BE PURE AND STATED THAT THE COMMERCIAL BROADCASTERS WERE DOING NOTHING WRONG. RPTR SAID THAT THE FRONT END (EARLY STAGES) OF AIRBORNE COM GEAR IS OVERPWRED BY THE STRONG SIGNALS WHICH ARE RECEIVED FROM A NUMBER OF FM STATIONS WHOSE ANTENNAS ARE CLUSTERED IN AN ANTENNA FARM. HE SAID THAT THE PLT GROUP WAS NEXT GOING TO TRY TO GET A SYMPATHETIC EAR FROM CONGRESS. HE ALSO SAID THAT FAA SEEMED TO BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THEY COULDN'T FORCE THE FCC TO HAVE THE BROADCASTERS CEASE OR AT LEAST REDUCE PWR LEVEL OF THEIR BROADCASTS. ONLY ACFT FLYING 3000' AND BELOW AND WITHIN A MILE OR 2 ARE AFFECTED.

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.