Narrative:

I contacted pwa ground control and requested radar advisories out of the arsa. I was given clearance to taxi to runway 35 and given a squawk code. I did my runup and called tower for clearance to takeoff. I could not get tower to respond. I have 2 radios and tried both for quite some time. I attempted to contact ground control and could not raise them either (it is not uncommon for ground control and tower to be operated by same person--as it was 1 hour earlier when I landed). I attempted to raise okc approach but could not contact them either. It is not uncommon to not be able to talk with approach until airborne at this airport. I looked around and saw no traffic except an small aircraft on base for 35. I radioed my intentions to takeoff on the active and took off. I was able to raise approach after airborne. There were no traffic conflicts. In retrospect, I could have taxied back to the ramp and rolled the tower by landline, but did not because of traffic on taxiway. Having since discussed that with a client, who is an air carrier captain, I have been given advice for the situation which may be of assistance in the future. I could have flashed my landing lights at the tower, provided they were watching, and gotten a light. I did inform tower in one of my xmissions that I was not receiving them and to shoot me a light. They did not acknowledged by radio or light. I am having my radios and antenna inspected to ensure they are working properly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter once again stated that a more prudent thing to do would be to return to the ramp. Upon being counseled with alternate courses of action he stated that he would, in the future, return to the ramp if it happened again. As a WX factor the reporter stated that the temperature was below 0 degrees F and that the only other time he lost radio communication was when the temperature was below 0 degrees F. He suggested that the antenna connection became separated as the cold WX affected the metal parts. The owners of the aircraft are considering a replacement of the antenna coupling and another radio as a standby. No FAA action on this event has come forth as yet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME SMA PLT PERFORMS TKOF WITHOUT RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR. DID NOT RECEIVE GREEN LIGHT FROM TWR AND DID NOT FOLLOW LOST COM PROC AS LISTED UNDER AIM PARAGRAPH 205B-1, PARAGRAPH 472 AND FEDERAL AVIATION REG 91 PT 127(2).

Narrative: I CONTACTED PWA GND CTL AND REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES OUT OF THE ARSA. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 35 AND GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE. I DID MY RUNUP AND CALLED TWR FOR CLRNC TO TKOF. I COULD NOT GET TWR TO RESPOND. I HAVE 2 RADIOS AND TRIED BOTH FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT GND CTL AND COULD NOT RAISE THEM EITHER (IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR GND CTL AND TWR TO BE OPERATED BY SAME PERSON--AS IT WAS 1 HR EARLIER WHEN I LANDED). I ATTEMPTED TO RAISE OKC APCH BUT COULD NOT CONTACT THEM EITHER. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO NOT BE ABLE TO TALK WITH APCH UNTIL AIRBORNE AT THIS ARPT. I LOOKED AROUND AND SAW NO TFC EXCEPT AN SMA ON BASE FOR 35. I RADIOED MY INTENTIONS TO TKOF ON THE ACTIVE AND TOOK OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RAISE APCH AFTER AIRBORNE. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. IN RETROSPECT, I COULD HAVE TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP AND ROLLED THE TWR BY LANDLINE, BUT DID NOT BECAUSE OF TFC ON TXWY. HAVING SINCE DISCUSSED THAT WITH A CLIENT, WHO IS AN ACR CAPT, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN ADVICE FOR THE SITUATION WHICH MAY BE OF ASSISTANCE IN THE FUTURE. I COULD HAVE FLASHED MY LNDG LIGHTS AT THE TWR, PROVIDED THEY WERE WATCHING, AND GOTTEN A LIGHT. I DID INFORM TWR IN ONE OF MY XMISSIONS THAT I WAS NOT RECEIVING THEM AND TO SHOOT ME A LIGHT. THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGED BY RADIO OR LIGHT. I AM HAVING MY RADIOS AND ANTENNA INSPECTED TO ENSURE THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR ONCE AGAIN STATED THAT A MORE PRUDENT THING TO DO WOULD BE TO RETURN TO THE RAMP. UPON BEING COUNSELED WITH ALTERNATE COURSES OF ACTION HE STATED THAT HE WOULD, IN THE FUTURE, RETURN TO THE RAMP IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AS A WX FACTOR THE RPTR STATED THAT THE TEMP WAS BELOW 0 DEGS F AND THAT THE ONLY OTHER TIME HE LOST RADIO COM WAS WHEN THE TEMP WAS BELOW 0 DEGS F. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE ANTENNA CONNECTION BECAME SEPARATED AS THE COLD WX AFFECTED THE METAL PARTS. THE OWNERS OF THE ACFT ARE CONSIDERING A REPLACEMENT OF THE ANTENNA COUPLING AND ANOTHER RADIO AS A STANDBY. NO FAA ACTION ON THIS EVENT HAS COME FORTH AS YET.

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.