Narrative:

Ttzp reported to have not received position reports (G449) at point perry or perga. This did not directly conflict with traffic today, but can cause problems if piarco cannot keep track of traffic. We often cannot hear piarco transmit and must make our position reports 'in the blind.' piarco has radar but often does not opt to use it, instead it relies on position reports from pilots. In our aircraft (southwest-3), we often cannot receive or transmit at certain points along the G-449 airway. My suggestion is to either add more relay stations for better radio reception, or to use their radar facilities more. Our company was ahead of us by approximately 80 NM and could hear our position reports throughout our entire flight. Ttzp is located in port of spain, trinidad international airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM FREQ NOT RELIABLE FOR COM.

Narrative: TTZP RPTED TO HAVE NOT RECEIVED POS RPTS (G449) AT POINT PERRY OR PERGA. THIS DID NOT DIRECTLY CONFLICT WITH TFC TODAY, BUT CAN CAUSE PROBS IF PIARCO CANNOT KEEP TRACK OF TFC. WE OFTEN CANNOT HEAR PIARCO XMIT AND MUST MAKE OUR POS RPTS 'IN THE BLIND.' PIARCO HAS RADAR BUT OFTEN DOES NOT OPT TO USE IT, INSTEAD IT RELIES ON POS RPTS FROM PLTS. IN OUR ACFT (SW-3), WE OFTEN CANNOT RECEIVE OR XMIT AT CERTAIN POINTS ALONG THE G-449 AIRWAY. MY SUGGESTION IS TO EITHER ADD MORE RELAY STATIONS FOR BETTER RADIO RECEPTION, OR TO USE THEIR RADAR FACILITIES MORE. OUR COMPANY WAS AHEAD OF US BY APPROX 80 NM AND COULD HEAR OUR POS RPTS THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE FLT. TTZP IS LOCATED IN PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD INTL ARPT.

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.