Narrative:

Northbound on the arwy between mid and gvl, merida center called us at nuley intersection and asked that we call iah center. We called and had no response. We made frequent attempts to call, also using atlanta radio service as specified by company. When we made contact, they asked if we had made previous calls. We said that we had made numerous calls and heard them before they heard us. They say we missed a compulsory report. Better radar and radio coverage needed in the gulf! They need to add some relay equipment or the like. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Analyst called the facility and talked to specialist about history on these reporting points. Reporter stated that this has been an ongoing problem that was elevated recently due to an operational error. Facility is aware of the lack of radio and navigation aids along this route. Aircraft must use ADF or dr to navigate. The communication problem has recently been fixed when commercial radio, after mtgs with the FAA, installed a transmitter and receiver on a rig in the gulf. It has been in operation about two weeks now and seems to be working ok. The facility has a survey at the sector for controllers to list any problems or comments, but so far there have been none listed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT UNABLE TO CONTACT ZHU OVER A COMPULSORY REPORTING POINT AT NULEY INTERSECTION OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO.

Narrative: NBND ON THE ARWY BTWN MID AND GVL, MERIDA CTR CALLED US AT NULEY INTXN AND ASKED THAT WE CALL IAH CTR. WE CALLED AND HAD NO RESPONSE. WE MADE FREQUENT ATTEMPTS TO CALL, ALSO USING ATLANTA RADIO SVC AS SPECIFIED BY COMPANY. WHEN WE MADE CONTACT, THEY ASKED IF WE HAD MADE PREVIOUS CALLS. WE SAID THAT WE HAD MADE NUMEROUS CALLS AND HEARD THEM BEFORE THEY HEARD US. THEY SAY WE MISSED A COMPULSORY RPT. BETTER RADAR AND RADIO COVERAGE NEEDED IN THE GULF! THEY NEED TO ADD SOME RELAY EQUIP OR THE LIKE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. ANALYST CALLED THE FAC AND TALKED TO SPECIALIST ABOUT HISTORY ON THESE RPTING POINTS. RPTR STATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROB THAT WAS ELEVATED RECENTLY DUE TO AN OPERROR. FAC IS AWARE OF THE LACK OF RADIO AND NAV AIDS ALONG THIS RTE. ACFT MUST USE ADF OR DR TO NAVIGATE. THE COM PROB HAS RECENTLY BEEN FIXED WHEN COMMERCIAL RADIO, AFTER MTGS WITH THE FAA, INSTALLED A XMITTER AND RECEIVER ON A RIG IN THE GULF. IT HAS BEEN IN OPERATION ABOUT TWO WKS NOW AND SEEMS TO BE WORKING OK. THE FAC HAS A SURVEY AT THE SECTOR FOR CTLRS TO LIST ANY PROBS OR COMMENTS, BUT SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NONE LISTED.

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.