Narrative:

Was approaching danbury from southeast for landing. Called tower 12 mi out with my intentions. Was told by tower 'report 3 mi right base for runway 35.' I acknowledged. Entered base leg noting traffic on downwind and ahead on base. Called tower and reported on base with traffic in sight. Frequency extremely busy. Repeated call, no acknowledgement from tower. Continued in pattern and noticed several xmissions 'stepped on/blocked.' called tower again turning final. Tower acknowledged and said I told you to call on base. I replied I did/tried several times and was blocked. Tower affirmed this and cleared me to land. Contacted ground, taxied to FBO, discharged passenger and taxied to active. Called tower, got takeoff clearance, took off on course and reported clear upon departing class D -- tower acknowledged. Later that day at another airport, I mentioned how busy dxr was to another pilot. He told me they had just converted to a contract tower and all the controllers were new. At dxr this is compounded by the fact that there are hills southeast (and southwest) of the field that may partially obscure tower's view of traffic on base legs. The aircraft would come back into full view on turning final. A suggestion would be to sequence aircraft into the pattern when busy on downwind instead of base allowing more sequencing time and a clrer view to the tower. Also, pilots/controllers can attempt to keep xmissions concise and short. I believe as the new controllers become more familiar with the local environment and traffic, the situation will also improve.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PVT PLT COMPLAINS OF FREQ AND TFC CONGESTION AT DXR.

Narrative: WAS APCHING DANBURY FROM SE FOR LNDG. CALLED TWR 12 MI OUT WITH MY INTENTIONS. WAS TOLD BY TWR 'RPT 3 MI R BASE FOR RWY 35.' I ACKNOWLEDGED. ENTERED BASE LEG NOTING TFC ON DOWNWIND AND AHEAD ON BASE. CALLED TWR AND RPTED ON BASE WITH TFC IN SIGHT. FREQ EXTREMELY BUSY. REPEATED CALL, NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM TWR. CONTINUED IN PATTERN AND NOTICED SEVERAL XMISSIONS 'STEPPED ON/BLOCKED.' CALLED TWR AGAIN TURNING FINAL. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID I TOLD YOU TO CALL ON BASE. I REPLIED I DID/TRIED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS BLOCKED. TWR AFFIRMED THIS AND CLRED ME TO LAND. CONTACTED GND, TAXIED TO FBO, DISCHARGED PAX AND TAXIED TO ACTIVE. CALLED TWR, GOT TKOF CLRNC, TOOK OFF ON COURSE AND RPTED CLR UPON DEPARTING CLASS D -- TWR ACKNOWLEDGED. LATER THAT DAY AT ANOTHER ARPT, I MENTIONED HOW BUSY DXR WAS TO ANOTHER PLT. HE TOLD ME THEY HAD JUST CONVERTED TO A CONTRACT TWR AND ALL THE CTLRS WERE NEW. AT DXR THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THERE ARE HILLS SE (AND SW) OF THE FIELD THAT MAY PARTIALLY OBSCURE TWR'S VIEW OF TFC ON BASE LEGS. THE ACFT WOULD COME BACK INTO FULL VIEW ON TURNING FINAL. A SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO SEQUENCE ACFT INTO THE PATTERN WHEN BUSY ON DOWNWIND INSTEAD OF BASE ALLOWING MORE SEQUENCING TIME AND A CLRER VIEW TO THE TWR. ALSO, PLTS/CTLRS CAN ATTEMPT TO KEEP XMISSIONS CONCISE AND SHORT. I BELIEVE AS THE NEW CTLRS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE LCL ENVIRONMENT AND TFC, THE SIT WILL ALSO IMPROVE.

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.