Pilot of small aircraft on training flight unable to contact departure controller on assigned freque...

Attributes
ACN	123260
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	123260
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Filed flight plan with ikk FSS - ok. 10 min before departure time, called O'hare IFR clearance by telephone. Got clearance, sq, departure frequency (119.35) and takeoff void time - ok. Took off with void time. Tried many times (on both radios) to contact departure, for 10 min (remaining VFR thank goodness) and squawking our code and being interrogated. Finally I decided to call 133.5. This is a frequency we usually seem to get for departing west from this airport. We got a response immediately and told them we were on IFR flight plan and couldn't get our assigned frequency (119.35) to respond. They gave us a heading, another squawk code and then radar vectors for dpa ILS 10. Then when we contacted dpa tower on 120.9 they stated that O'hare departure and dpa had been calling and calling and calling, etc, etc, for (30 min)? Someone did not contact someone? We have had no radio problems before or after that flight (returned VFR to check radios). On return back heard aurora tower tell a pilot, that transmissions have been 'garbled all day'. Maybe this is part of the sun spot problems. I can't say. Recommendation: be aware there always is another frequency you can use if your assigned frequency cannot get together with you.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON TRAINING FLT UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP CTLR ON ASSIGNED FREQ.

Narrative: FILED FLT PLAN WITH IKK FSS - OK. 10 MIN BEFORE DEP TIME, CALLED O'HARE IFR CLRNC BY TELEPHONE. GOT CLRNC, SQ, DEPARTURE FREQ (119.35) AND TKOF VOID TIME - OK. TOOK OFF WITH VOID TIME. TRIED MANY TIMES (ON BOTH RADIOS) TO CONTACT DEP, FOR 10 MIN (REMAINING VFR THANK GOODNESS) AND SQUAWKING OUR CODE AND BEING INTERROGATED. FINALLY I DECIDED TO CALL 133.5. THIS IS A FREQ WE USUALLY SEEM TO GET FOR DEPARTING W FROM THIS ARPT. WE GOT A RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY AND TOLD THEM WE WERE ON IFR FLT PLAN AND COULDN'T GET OUR ASSIGNED FREQ (119.35) TO RESPOND. THEY GAVE US A HDG, ANOTHER SQUAWK CODE AND THEN RADAR VECTORS FOR DPA ILS 10. THEN WHEN WE CONTACTED DPA TWR ON 120.9 THEY STATED THAT O'HARE DEP AND DPA HAD BEEN CALLING AND CALLING AND CALLING, ETC, ETC, FOR (30 MIN)? SOMEONE DID NOT CONTACT SOMEONE? WE HAVE HAD NO RADIO PROBLEMS BEFORE OR AFTER THAT FLT (RETURNED VFR TO CHECK RADIOS). ON RETURN BACK HEARD AURORA TWR TELL A PLT, THAT TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN 'GARBLED ALL DAY'. MAYBE THIS IS PART OF THE SUN SPOT PROBLEMS. I CAN'T SAY. RECOMMENDATION: BE AWARE THERE ALWAYS IS ANOTHER FREQ YOU CAN USE IF YOUR ASSIGNED FREQ CANNOT GET TOGETHER WITH YOU.

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.

Pilot of small aircraft on training flight unable to contact departure controller on assigned frequency.