Narrative:

Problem regularly arises with communication with center in same position regularly. Center clears flts to lower altitudes in anticipation of handoff to iad approach (126.1) but then can't hear or believe reply. Particular frequency was 132.5. One particular event occurred after passing ioane intersection swbound on V143, frequency became quiet. I became suspicious, only heard aircraft replying but not center. Asked for radio check. No reply. Turned up squelch. Barely heard center say 'xyz 9000 ft cross robrt.' we replied. No response. We descended to 9000 ft then started hearing center call repeatedly, with anger, and we still replied but were not heard. Contact restored just before 'hyper' told us that we were supposed to be at 10000 ft, not 9000 ft. Bad communication in a specific area a recurring problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMS DEAD SPOT CAUSES MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNC LEADING TO ALTDEV.

Narrative: PROB REGULARLY ARISES WITH COM WITH CTR IN SAME POS REGULARLY. CTR CLRS FLTS TO LOWER ALTS IN ANTICIPATION OF HDOF TO IAD APCH (126.1) BUT THEN CAN'T HEAR OR BELIEVE REPLY. PARTICULAR FREQ WAS 132.5. ONE PARTICULAR EVENT OCCURRED AFTER PASSING IOANE INTXN SWBOUND ON V143, FREQ BECAME QUIET. I BECAME SUSPICIOUS, ONLY HEARD ACFT REPLYING BUT NOT CTR. ASKED FOR RADIO CHK. NO REPLY. TURNED UP SQUELCH. BARELY HEARD CTR SAY 'XYZ 9000 FT CROSS ROBRT.' WE REPLIED. NO RESPONSE. WE DSNDED TO 9000 FT THEN STARTED HEARING CTR CALL REPEATEDLY, WITH ANGER, AND WE STILL REPLIED BUT WERE NOT HEARD. CONTACT RESTORED JUST BEFORE 'HYPER' TOLD US THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 10000 FT, NOT 9000 FT. BAD COM IN A SPECIFIC AREA A RECURRING PROB.

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.