Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan from dutch harbor, ak, to adak, ak, at 9000' on green 8 zan told me to contact adak approach 120 mi northeast of adak. I attempted contact 134.5 and 121.5 repeatedly from 120 mi northeast to 60 northeast. I finally got radio contact at 60 mi with adak. In talking with navy personnel on the ground at adak they knew of poor communications at 9000' at ranges beyond 60 mi to the northeast of adak. I think zan should be aware of this communication gap and not issue an instruction to contact adak approach at 120 mi northeast if in reality contact can only be made at 60 mi or less. I thought I had a radio failure when in fact it was an ATC system problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF SMT CLEARED BY ZAN TO ADAK APCH CTL WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH ADAK UNTIL APPROX 60 MILES OUT.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM DUTCH HARBOR, AK, TO ADAK, AK, AT 9000' ON GREEN 8 ZAN TOLD ME TO CONTACT ADAK APCH 120 MI NE OF ADAK. I ATTEMPTED CONTACT 134.5 AND 121.5 REPEATEDLY FROM 120 MI NE TO 60 NE. I FINALLY GOT RADIO CONTACT AT 60 MI WITH ADAK. IN TALKING WITH NAVY PERSONNEL ON THE GND AT ADAK THEY KNEW OF POOR COMS AT 9000' AT RANGES BEYOND 60 MI TO THE NE OF ADAK. I THINK ZAN SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS COM GAP AND NOT ISSUE AN INSTRUCTION TO CONTACT ADAK APCH AT 120 MI NE IF IN REALITY CONTACT CAN ONLY BE MADE AT 60 MI OR LESS. I THOUGHT I HAD A RADIO FAILURE WHEN IN FACT IT WAS AN ATC SYS 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.