Narrative:

Arrival into abe, 11000 ft, no communication with ZNY. Switched to abe approach, good communication. TCASII alert for aircraft at 10600 ft, RA annunciated. Initiated climb as per TCASII alert. Climbed to 11200 ft, then returned to 11000 ft, received continued vectors with abe approach to runway 24, uneventful remainder of flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has spoken with other pilots who have had the loss of communication experience in this same area, southwest of etx VOR. There appears to be a blank spot in that area. There was no handoff at 11000 ft as expected so the crew was trying to contact center. They were distracted by the TCASII RA. Took action by contacting approach after the response to the RA and requesting them to notify center. Supplemental information from acn 406750: with ZNY. Unable to read/understand controller, I think due to our low altitude. Captain and myself attempted to contact numerous times to no avail.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B737-200 HAS LOSS OF COM WITH CTR. THEY RECEIVE A TCASII RA AND COMPLY. THEY CONTACT APCH TO NOTIFY CTR. NO PROB WITH COM ON APCH FREQ.

Narrative: ARR INTO ABE, 11000 FT, NO COM WITH ZNY. SWITCHED TO ABE APCH, GOOD COM. TCASII ALERT FOR ACFT AT 10600 FT, RA ANNUNCIATED. INITIATED CLB AS PER TCASII ALERT. CLBED TO 11200 FT, THEN RETURNED TO 11000 FT, RECEIVED CONTINUED VECTORS WITH ABE APCH TO RWY 24, UNEVENTFUL REMAINDER OF FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS SPOKEN WITH OTHER PLTS WHO HAVE HAD THE LOSS OF COM EXPERIENCE IN THIS SAME AREA, SW OF ETX VOR. THERE APPEARS TO BE A BLANK SPOT IN THAT AREA. THERE WAS NO HDOF AT 11000 FT AS EXPECTED SO THE CREW WAS TRYING TO CONTACT CTR. THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY THE TCASII RA. TOOK ACTION BY CONTACTING APCH AFTER THE RESPONSE TO THE RA AND REQUESTING THEM TO NOTIFY CTR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 406750: WITH ZNY. UNABLE TO READ/UNDERSTAND CTLR, I THINK DUE TO OUR LOW ALT. CAPT AND MYSELF ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT NUMEROUS TIMES TO NO AVAIL.

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.