GA pilot complaint about backgnd noise being received while being worked by ARTCC's.

Attributes
ACN	203155
Time
Date	199202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller radar : 25 flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	203155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

This is a general letter to complain of a continuing problem that is getting worse. The radio xmissions from many sectors and many 'ctrs' have so much backgnd noise and/or static that it is very hard to discern what the controllers are saying much of the time. Much of the noise can be attributed to other conversations in the backgnd (which many times is as discernable as the conversation on your own frequency) and part of it is a static type transmission, which many times gets better if the controller changes radios. It is extremely hard to pick most female's voices out of this confusion as their voices seem to blend in with most of it. I have noticed this more since wearing my newly acquired and required boom headset and in fact have tried 4 different headsets to no avail. Most controllers (when I complain) say: 1. Yes, we've had several complaints. 2. They try another radio, which many times is better if it is a static problem. 3. Either 'they are very busy behind me' or once 'the group behind me is ordering pizza.' the real telling tale only once have I had a problem on an approach control frequency, but about 60 percent of the time on center frequencys. 2 of the worst frequencys are both in miami center (frequencys 132.4 and 132.45).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT COMPLAINT ABOUT BACKGND NOISE BEING RECEIVED WHILE BEING WORKED BY ARTCC'S.

Narrative: THIS IS A GENERAL LETTER TO COMPLAIN OF A CONTINUING PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING WORSE. THE RADIO XMISSIONS FROM MANY SECTORS AND MANY 'CTRS' HAVE SO MUCH BACKGND NOISE AND/OR STATIC THAT IT IS VERY HARD TO DISCERN WHAT THE CTLRS ARE SAYING MUCH OF THE TIME. MUCH OF THE NOISE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER CONVERSATIONS IN THE BACKGND (WHICH MANY TIMES IS AS DISCERNABLE AS THE CONVERSATION ON YOUR OWN FREQ) AND PART OF IT IS A STATIC TYPE XMISSION, WHICH MANY TIMES GETS BETTER IF THE CTLR CHANGES RADIOS. IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO PICK MOST FEMALE'S VOICES OUT OF THIS CONFUSION AS THEIR VOICES SEEM TO BLEND IN WITH MOST OF IT. I HAVE NOTICED THIS MORE SINCE WEARING MY NEWLY ACQUIRED AND REQUIRED BOOM HEADSET AND IN FACT HAVE TRIED 4 DIFFERENT HEADSETS TO NO AVAIL. MOST CTLRS (WHEN I COMPLAIN) SAY: 1. YES, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. 2. THEY TRY ANOTHER RADIO, WHICH MANY TIMES IS BETTER IF IT IS A STATIC PROBLEM. 3. EITHER 'THEY ARE VERY BUSY BEHIND ME' OR ONCE 'THE GROUP BEHIND ME IS ORDERING PIZZA.' THE REAL TELLING TALE ONLY ONCE HAVE I HAD A PROBLEM ON AN APCH CTL FREQ, BUT ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE TIME ON CTR FREQS. 2 OF THE WORST FREQS ARE BOTH IN MIAMI CTR (FREQS 132.4 AND 132.45).

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.