Cos controller concerned with UHF frequency allocation and facility control position accessibility.

Attributes
ACN	459490
Time
Date	200001
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cos.airport
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cos.tracon tower : cos.tower
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Cessna 318 (T-37)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller radar : 11 controller time certified in position1 : 7 flight time total : 400
ASRS Report	459490
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : cos.tracon

Narrative:

Cos ATCT approach (TRACON) has 3 UHF frequencys. 2 of these frequencys are unusable for many military aircraft because of the number of digits (239.02 and 257.87) leaving 1 usable frequency for 2 radar position -- arrival and departure. Sharing the frequency or requiring 1 controller to work aircraft in another controller's airspace results in confusion, missed xmissions and degrades safety. The ideal solution would be to eliminate UHF from ATC communications and require all aircraft to use VHF (this would solve a host of other communication problems plaguing ATC for yrs). But, at minimum, cos ATCT must replace at least 1 UHF frequency with one that its intended user can access. On this day, numerous T37's departed cos IFR. The arrival controllers had to work the aircraft in departure airspace because the T37's were unable to tune 257.87. 2 of the T37's nearly lost separation because of the confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COS CTLR CONCERNED WITH UHF FREQ ALLOCATION AND FACILITY CTL POS ACCESSIBILITY.

Narrative: COS ATCT APCH (TRACON) HAS 3 UHF FREQS. 2 OF THESE FREQS ARE UNUSABLE FOR MANY MIL ACFT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF DIGITS (239.02 AND 257.87) LEAVING 1 USABLE FREQ FOR 2 RADAR POS -- ARR AND DEP. SHARING THE FREQ OR REQUIRING 1 CTLR TO WORK ACFT IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE RESULTS IN CONFUSION, MISSED XMISSIONS AND DEGRADES SAFETY. THE IDEAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ELIMINATE UHF FROM ATC COMS AND REQUIRE ALL ACFT TO USE VHF (THIS WOULD SOLVE A HOST OF OTHER COM PROBS PLAGUING ATC FOR YRS). BUT, AT MINIMUM, COS ATCT MUST REPLACE AT LEAST 1 UHF FREQ WITH ONE THAT ITS INTENDED USER CAN ACCESS. ON THIS DAY, NUMEROUS T37'S DEPARTED COS IFR. THE ARR CTLRS HAD TO WORK THE ACFT IN DEP AIRSPACE BECAUSE THE T37'S WERE UNABLE TO TUNE 257.87. 2 OF THE T37'S NEARLY LOST SEPARATION BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION.

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.