BA3100 flight crew finds it difficult to maintain communication with sck approach control on V-23 at...

Attributes
ACN	393392
Time
Date	199802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lin
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sck
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : sck
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	393392
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1110
ASRS Report	393570
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Our aircraft was operating at the MOCA and/or MEA of 3000 ft on V-23 between czq and lin vors. We were in a segment of the airway which the MEA was 4000 ft but the MOCA was 3000 ft. There had not been any ATC or other aircraft reception heard on our frequency for approximately 8 mins. I did hear a very faint voice/transmission in the headset. I then turned the squelch off on the communication radio to check to volume level. No squelch was heard. I then turned the volume up and turned the squelch back to on. I called stockton approach to inquire if they had been attempting to call us. Stockton stated that they had been attempting to contact us since wraps intersection. They instructed us to climb/maintain 5000 ft, which we did. I informed stockton apparently there was a problem with our communication radio since the volume level dropped off. Other aircraft also asked stockton approach if they (stockton) heard their xmissions as they had been trying to call stockton as well and they also heard no xmissions for awhile. Stockton stated they did not hear that aircraft's call. I wrote up our communication problem in our aircraft logbook. However it is not known at this point if the reception problem was our aircraft's or ATC. I also should have been attempting to call stockton approach before the MEA increased, although we were at the MOCA. I assumed that stockton's MVA in our area was 3000 ft or lower and that is why we did not hear a climb clearance. The aircraft was operating at 3000 ft to avoid flying in icing conditions due to deferred deice equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA3100 FLC FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN COM WITH SCK APCH CTL ON V-23 AT 3000 FT MSL WHILE 40 NM OUT ON THE 124 DEG RADIAL.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS OPERATING AT THE MOCA AND/OR MEA OF 3000 FT ON V-23 BTWN CZQ AND LIN VORS. WE WERE IN A SEGMENT OF THE AIRWAY WHICH THE MEA WAS 4000 FT BUT THE MOCA WAS 3000 FT. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY ATC OR OTHER ACFT RECEPTION HEARD ON OUR FREQ FOR APPROX 8 MINS. I DID HEAR A VERY FAINT VOICE/XMISSION IN THE HEADSET. I THEN TURNED THE SQUELCH OFF ON THE COM RADIO TO CHK TO VOLUME LEVEL. NO SQUELCH WAS HEARD. I THEN TURNED THE VOLUME UP AND TURNED THE SQUELCH BACK TO ON. I CALLED STOCKTON APCH TO INQUIRE IF THEY HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO CALL US. STOCKTON STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT US SINCE WRAPS INTXN. THEY INSTRUCTED US TO CLB/MAINTAIN 5000 FT, WHICH WE DID. I INFORMED STOCKTON APPARENTLY THERE WAS A PROB WITH OUR COM RADIO SINCE THE VOLUME LEVEL DROPPED OFF. OTHER ACFT ALSO ASKED STOCKTON APCH IF THEY (STOCKTON) HEARD THEIR XMISSIONS AS THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO CALL STOCKTON AS WELL AND THEY ALSO HEARD NO XMISSIONS FOR AWHILE. STOCKTON STATED THEY DID NOT HEAR THAT ACFT'S CALL. I WROTE UP OUR COM PROB IN OUR ACFT LOGBOOK. HOWEVER IT IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS POINT IF THE RECEPTION PROB WAS OUR ACFT'S OR ATC. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO CALL STOCKTON APCH BEFORE THE MEA INCREASED, ALTHOUGH WE WERE AT THE MOCA. I ASSUMED THAT STOCKTON'S MVA IN OUR AREA WAS 3000 FT OR LOWER AND THAT IS WHY WE DID NOT HEAR A CLB CLRNC. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING AT 3000 FT TO AVOID FLYING IN ICING CONDITIONS DUE TO DEFERRED DEICE EQUIP.

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.

BA3100 flight crew finds it difficult to maintain communication with sck approach control on V-23 at 3000 ft MSL while 40 NM out on the 124 degree radial.