Narrative:

I was instructed to taxi into 'position and hold' on runway 4R at ewr and was also told that an aircraft was on a 7 mi final for that runway. When once on the runway, we heard only broken radio reception from the tower. Not knowing if the broadcast was for us, we held our position ready for takeoff. We changed radios, but it did not prove to solve the problem. By holding down the squelch button on the radio, we heard the tower instructing air carrier Y to go around. Our company does repeated flts, with a fleet of 17 aircraft, to ewr. On a consistent basis, particularly when departing either runways 4L or 4R, the reception of the tower is broken and difficult to interpret. We finally heard an air carrier B737 behind us remark to the tower 'I don't think he can hear you.' shortly thereafter, we heard our takeoff clearance, broken, but were able to interpret. We departed and, once airborne, the tower reception was clear. We apologized for the go around, but did not hear any takeoff clearance prior to the go around instructions issued to air carrier Y. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the falcon 20 in a freighter confign. The aircraft have 2 VHF antennas, both on the vertical stabilizer. The reporter switched radios during this incident with no change in reception. This problem was written up in the logbook, and was signed off as 'ground check ok.' the reporter has not had this problem at any other airport and has never had this problem on other runways at ewr, only runways 4 while waiting for takeoff or rolling out. He has had no problem while on approach to runways 4 at ewr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION GAR REQUIRED WHEN AN ACFT IN POS COULD NOT HEAR ATCT TKOF INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI INTO 'POS AND HOLD' ON RWY 4R AT EWR AND WAS ALSO TOLD THAT AN ACFT WAS ON A 7 MI FINAL FOR THAT RWY. WHEN ONCE ON THE RWY, WE HEARD ONLY BROKEN RADIO RECEPTION FROM THE TWR. NOT KNOWING IF THE BROADCAST WAS FOR US, WE HELD OUR POS READY FOR TKOF. WE CHANGED RADIOS, BUT IT DID NOT PROVE TO SOLVE THE PROB. BY HOLDING DOWN THE SQUELCH BUTTON ON THE RADIO, WE HEARD THE TWR INSTRUCTING ACR Y TO GAR. OUR COMPANY DOES REPEATED FLTS, WITH A FLEET OF 17 ACFT, TO EWR. ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DEPARTING EITHER RWYS 4L OR 4R, THE RECEPTION OF THE TWR IS BROKEN AND DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET. WE FINALLY HEARD AN ACR B737 BEHIND US REMARK TO THE TWR 'I DON'T THINK HE CAN HEAR YOU.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE HEARD OUR TKOF CLRNC, BROKEN, BUT WERE ABLE TO INTERPRET. WE DEPARTED AND, ONCE AIRBORNE, THE TWR RECEPTION WAS CLR. WE APOLOGIZED FOR THE GAR, BUT DID NOT HEAR ANY TKOF CLRNC PRIOR TO THE GAR INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED TO ACR Y. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE FALCON 20 IN A FREIGHTER CONFIGN. THE ACFT HAVE 2 VHF ANTENNAS, BOTH ON THE VERT STABILIZER. THE RPTR SWITCHED RADIOS DURING THIS INCIDENT WITH NO CHANGE IN RECEPTION. THIS PROB WAS WRITTEN UP IN THE LOGBOOK, AND WAS SIGNED OFF AS 'GND CHK OK.' THE RPTR HAS NOT HAD THIS PROB AT ANY OTHER ARPT AND HAS NEVER HAD THIS PROB ON OTHER RWYS AT EWR, ONLY RWYS 4 WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF OR ROLLING OUT. HE HAS HAD NO PROB WHILE ON APCH TO RWYS 4 AT EWR.

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.