Narrative:

Portland tower directs us to contact 'departure control.' I ask the copilot if this is the frequency that is set in the tuning head. He says 'yes, 118.0.' I check in with departure on 118.0 and all 3 crew members hear a 'radar contact' so we continue climb to 9000 ft. About 2 mins later, I wonder about the lack of radio chatter and check my squelch, no audio, so I go to #3 radio and get no response. I then go back to tower on 118.7, inquire as to 'no contact on 118.0' and tower informs us that the frequency is 118.1. The copilot is flying and voices concern about raising terrain to the east. I continued to call control on 118.1 and we are told to turn right to 160 degree (?) which we did. Suggestion: in situations where terrain is of timely concern, please use frequency with departure radio change directions. This is routine: 1) OM (or about 5 mi) during lndgs. 2) airports with multiple airport departure frequencys do this routinely (lax is an example). Suggestion: hodgepodge of clearance readback procedures exists (abbreviated, pre-departure, as filed and complete). Perhaps a more standardized readback may be in order. Supplemental information from acn 194559: we were cleaning up aircraft to climb out confign and continued up to assigned altitude, 9000 ft MSL on the 085 degree radial as stated in the river 4 departure.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB CFTT.

Narrative: PORTLAND TWR DIRECTS US TO CONTACT 'DEP CTL.' I ASK THE COPLT IF THIS IS THE FREQ THAT IS SET IN THE TUNING HEAD. HE SAYS 'YES, 118.0.' I CHK IN WITH DEP ON 118.0 AND ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS HEAR A 'RADAR CONTACT' SO WE CONTINUE CLB TO 9000 FT. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER, I WONDER ABOUT THE LACK OF RADIO CHATTER AND CHK MY SQUELCH, NO AUDIO, SO I GO TO #3 RADIO AND GET NO RESPONSE. I THEN GO BACK TO TWR ON 118.7, INQUIRE AS TO 'NO CONTACT ON 118.0' AND TWR INFORMS US THAT THE FREQ IS 118.1. THE COPLT IS FLYING AND VOICES CONCERN ABOUT RAISING TERRAIN TO THE E. I CONTINUED TO CALL CTL ON 118.1 AND WE ARE TOLD TO TURN R TO 160 DEG (?) WHICH WE DID. SUGGESTION: IN SITUATIONS WHERE TERRAIN IS OF TIMELY CONCERN, PLEASE USE FREQ WITH DEP RADIO CHANGE DIRECTIONS. THIS IS ROUTINE: 1) OM (OR ABOUT 5 MI) DURING LNDGS. 2) ARPTS WITH MULTIPLE ARPT DEP FREQS DO THIS ROUTINELY (LAX IS AN EXAMPLE). SUGGESTION: HODGEPODGE OF CLRNC READBACK PROCS EXISTS (ABBREVIATED, PRE-DEP, AS FILED AND COMPLETE). PERHAPS A MORE STANDARDIZED READBACK MAY BE IN ORDER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 194559: WE WERE CLEANING UP ACFT TO CLB OUT CONFIGN AND CONTINUED UP TO ASSIGNED ALT, 9000 FT MSL ON THE 085 DEG RADIAL AS STATED IN THE RIVER 4 DEP.

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.