Military flight crew of helicopter had radio communication problem transmitting and receiving cxy TR...

Attributes
ACN	155834
Time
Date	199008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrp
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cxy
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	155834
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan handed off form reading approach to harrisburg approach, reading gave allentown frequency by mistake. Allentown gave correct harrisburg frequency (UHF only aircraft). Still could not contact harrisburg, so switched back to reading. Reading instructed us to go back to harrisburg. We could hear harrisburg but they could not hear us. Back to reading, again back to harrisburg and finally back to reading. After 4 switches back and forth we still could not talk to harrisburg on UHF and reading took care of clearance. Everything was done by the book, but it shows the weakness of military UHF-only aircraft. Harrisburg is always difficult to talk to on UHF.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT CREW OF HELICOPTER HAD RADIO COM PROBLEM TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING CXY TRACON ON UHF.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN HANDED OFF FORM READING APCH TO HARRISBURG APCH, READING GAVE ALLENTOWN FREQ BY MISTAKE. ALLENTOWN GAVE CORRECT HARRISBURG FREQ (UHF ONLY ACFT). STILL COULD NOT CONTACT HARRISBURG, SO SWITCHED BACK TO READING. READING INSTRUCTED US TO GO BACK TO HARRISBURG. WE COULD HEAR HARRISBURG BUT THEY COULD NOT HEAR US. BACK TO READING, AGAIN BACK TO HARRISBURG AND FINALLY BACK TO READING. AFTER 4 SWITCHES BACK AND FORTH WE STILL COULD NOT TALK TO HARRISBURG ON UHF AND READING TOOK CARE OF CLRNC. EVERYTHING WAS DONE BY THE BOOK, BUT IT SHOWS THE WEAKNESS OF MIL UHF-ONLY ACFT. HARRISBURG IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO TALK TO ON UHF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Military flight crew of helicopter had radio communication problem transmitting and receiving cxy TRACON on UHF.