Narrative:

After takeoff we were told to contact departure. First officer (PNF) tuned radio, but was unable to contact departure control after several attempts. Tried communication #2 with same result. No carrier signal, no reception. Checked circuit breaker's and also attempted to make contact on tower and company frequencys. Attempted transmission from all audio panel stations. Leveled off at initial altitude (5000') on runway heading. Continued to troubleshoot. Squawked 'lost communication/emergency' codes on transponder. Clearance was as filed, expect FL310 in 10 mins. Transmitted in blind and listened on VOR frequency. No response. Tuned one communication to 121.5 and continued further attempts to regain communications. After 10 mins we initiated a climb to FL310 and turned to intercept our filed routing. We consulted first officer's copy of part 91 regulations on lost communication procedures during this time. Jump-seater (also captain) was observing and I asked for any helpful input and to watch for traffic and/or crew mistakes. Approximately 20 mins after takeoff we received xmissions on communication #1/121.5. Shortly after regained normal communication on #2. All crew members continued to perform duties calmly throughout this event. Flight continued to destination with no further problems. Maintenance unable to duplicate. Operations check ok. Observation: due to multiple radio differences in fleet, my newly upgraded (2 weeks off IOE) may have unintentionally turned master vol (co-located on tuning knob) to minimum while changing frequencys. Hard to believe, since multiple radio calls had been made in blocks before taxi with no problems. On this particular aircraft, each audio panel has vol level adjustment for each communication and navigation, as well as a master vol for all receptions through its respective audio panel. That makes 3 separate vol controls to adjust communication radio vol. I personally do not recall checking the master vol on communication 1 and 2, but first officer assured me (in later discussion) that it was 'up.' recommendation: whether or not the problem was vol control, I wish to emphasize the increased workload, stress level and chance of error induced by a fleet of aircraft with more differences than similarities. A reduction of aircraft differences will directly cause a great reduction in events ranging from general aggravation to fatal accidents.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CARGO LINER LOST ALL RADIO COM AFTER TKOF. LATER RECOVERED RADIO COM.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. F/O (PNF) TUNED RADIO, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT DEP CTL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. TRIED COM #2 WITH SAME RESULT. NO CARRIER SIGNAL, NO RECEPTION. CHKED CB'S AND ALSO ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT ON TWR AND COMPANY FREQS. ATTEMPTED XMISSION FROM ALL AUDIO PANEL STATIONS. LEVELED OFF AT INITIAL ALT (5000') ON RWY HDG. CONTINUED TO TROUBLESHOOT. SQUAWKED 'LOST COM/EMER' CODES ON XPONDER. CLRNC WAS AS FILED, EXPECT FL310 IN 10 MINS. XMITTED IN BLIND AND LISTENED ON VOR FREQ. NO RESPONSE. TUNED ONE COM TO 121.5 AND CONTINUED FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN COMS. AFTER 10 MINS WE INITIATED A CLB TO FL310 AND TURNED TO INTERCEPT OUR FILED RTING. WE CONSULTED F/O'S COPY OF PART 91 REGS ON LOST COM PROCS DURING THIS TIME. JUMP-SEATER (ALSO CAPT) WAS OBSERVING AND I ASKED FOR ANY HELPFUL INPUT AND TO WATCH FOR TFC AND/OR CREW MISTAKES. APPROX 20 MINS AFTER TKOF WE RECEIVED XMISSIONS ON COM #1/121.5. SHORTLY AFTER REGAINED NORMAL COM ON #2. ALL CREW MEMBERS CONTINUED TO PERFORM DUTIES CALMLY THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT. FLT CONTINUED TO DEST WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. MAINT UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. OPS CHK OK. OBSERVATION: DUE TO MULTIPLE RADIO DIFFERENCES IN FLEET, MY NEWLY UPGRADED (2 WKS OFF IOE) MAY HAVE UNINTENTIONALLY TURNED MASTER VOL (CO-LOCATED ON TUNING KNOB) TO MINIMUM WHILE CHANGING FREQS. HARD TO BELIEVE, SINCE MULTIPLE RADIO CALLS HAD BEEN MADE IN BLOCKS BEFORE TAXI WITH NO PROBS. ON THIS PARTICULAR ACFT, EACH AUDIO PANEL HAS VOL LEVEL ADJUSTMENT FOR EACH COM AND NAV, AS WELL AS A MASTER VOL FOR ALL RECEPTIONS THROUGH ITS RESPECTIVE AUDIO PANEL. THAT MAKES 3 SEPARATE VOL CTLS TO ADJUST COM RADIO VOL. I PERSONALLY DO NOT RECALL CHKING THE MASTER VOL ON COM 1 AND 2, BUT F/O ASSURED ME (IN LATER DISCUSSION) THAT IT WAS 'UP.' RECOMMENDATION: WHETHER OR NOT THE PROB WAS VOL CTL, I WISH TO EMPHASIZE THE INCREASED WORKLOAD, STRESS LEVEL AND CHANCE OF ERROR INDUCED BY A FLEET OF ACFT WITH MORE DIFFERENCES THAN SIMILARITIES. A REDUCTION OF ACFT DIFFERENCES WILL DIRECTLY CAUSE A GREAT REDUCTION IN EVENTS RANGING FROM GENERAL AGGRAVATION TO FATAL ACCIDENTS.

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.