Narrative:

En route lax-jfk assigned FL370. Prior to giper we were cleared hoxie, lvz, lendy 4 jfk. The reason for this report is that when tuned to the wilkes barre (lvz) VOR 111.6 for the start of this arrival, at the service volume distance for that altitude you can't hear the identify even though the needle points to the station. Problem arises as there is another NAVAID with the same frequency in the area. As you approach lvz you can begin to hear 2 idents, a voice transmission of ATIS for lvz airport but (and this is critical) you never get the DME. You get the DME of the other NAVAID which is behind you and constantly increasing. The only NAVAID that I can find on the high altitude chart with a similar frequency is morgantown mgw (N3933.4 WO7951.6) at 216 NM 253 degree radial lvz/066 mgw. As I read the arrival the crossing restr is predicated on the DME from the stillwater VOR stw (N4059.7 W07452.1) but I believe there is potential for a major problem because lots of folks I've flown with use the lvz VOR DME to initiate their descent. This last time the only way to do that was use stw prior to arriving at lvz, then one VOR has to be tuned to lvz and one to stw. Question: is there a localizer frequency with DME anywhere in that 200 NM area with the same frequency as lvz?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISC SIT IN WHICH THE DME OF THE VORTAC USED FOR NAV IS NOT RECEIVED DUE TO THE OVERRIDING CAPABILITIES BY A DME OF ANOTHER NAVAID ON THE SAME FREQ.

Narrative: ENRTE LAX-JFK ASSIGNED FL370. PRIOR TO GIPER WE WERE CLRED HOXIE, LVZ, LENDY 4 JFK. THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS THAT WHEN TUNED TO THE WILKES BARRE (LVZ) VOR 111.6 FOR THE START OF THIS ARR, AT THE SVC VOLUME DISTANCE FOR THAT ALT YOU CAN'T HEAR THE IDENT EVEN THOUGH THE NEEDLE POINTS TO THE STATION. PROB ARISES AS THERE IS ANOTHER NAVAID WITH THE SAME FREQ IN THE AREA. AS YOU APCH LVZ YOU CAN BEGIN TO HEAR 2 IDENTS, A VOICE XMISSION OF ATIS FOR LVZ ARPT BUT (AND THIS IS CRITICAL) YOU NEVER GET THE DME. YOU GET THE DME OF THE OTHER NAVAID WHICH IS BEHIND YOU AND CONSTANTLY INCREASING. THE ONLY NAVAID THAT I CAN FIND ON THE HIGH ALT CHART WITH A SIMILAR FREQ IS MORGANTOWN MGW (N3933.4 WO7951.6) AT 216 NM 253 DEG RADIAL LVZ/066 MGW. AS I READ THE ARR THE XING RESTR IS PREDICATED ON THE DME FROM THE STILLWATER VOR STW (N4059.7 W07452.1) BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR PROB BECAUSE LOTS OF FOLKS I'VE FLOWN WITH USE THE LVZ VOR DME TO INITIATE THEIR DSCNT. THIS LAST TIME THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WAS USE STW PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT LVZ, THEN ONE VOR HAS TO BE TUNED TO LVZ AND ONE TO STW. QUESTION: IS THERE A LOC FREQ WITH DME ANYWHERE IN THAT 200 NM AREA WITH THE SAME FREQ AS LVZ?

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.