Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from lubbock (lbb) to denton, tx (dto) at about 40 mi west of bowie VOR (ukw) on 271 degree radial (V278) between poste intersection and karyn intersection, I encountered light icing at 7000 ft. ATC cleared me to descend to 5000 ft, which was below the cloud layer. 2 safety issues then arose: 1) at XA30 when about 20 DME from ukw VOR, ATC informed me that radar contact was lost, but he would pick me up again closer to bowie. I believe this is a safety issue, as the current charts show I was well above the required altitudes for this airway. Radar contact was re-established 5 DME west of the VOR. 2) after being given the STAR, gregs. GREGS5, I departed to VOR at 100 degrees and was given (at XA45) a new frequency (118.1) for dallas/regional approach. I established communications and continued on the STAR. I was told to descend to 4000 ft, which I did. I proceeded at 100 degrees to gregs intersection, then I turned right to heading 134 degrees, and proceeded to the next intersection in the STAR (craff intersection). At this point, I turned to heading 080 degrees to await vectors to the final approach. Just before reaching gregs intersection, at about 10 DME from ukw VOR on the 100 degree radial, I attempted to contact approach again at 118.1, unsuccessfully, but could hear other pilots speaking to approach. I could only hear the other pilots speaking to approach, but could not hear approach speaking to them. After a while, another pilot contacted me and acted as a go-between with approach control. By this time, I had visual contact with denton (dto) airport and requested the ILS runway 17 approach. The other pilot relayed my request to approach control. This time, I was able to hear approach control tell him that as another aircraft was already on the approach I would not be cleared. I then asked the other pilot to relay to approach control that I wished to cancel IFR as I had the airport in sight, and was in visual conditions. I heard approach approve this and subsequently landed at about XB00. I believe there is a problem with radio reception at or below 5000 ft MSL in the 20 mi area southeast of the bowie VOR on frequency 118.1. I could clearly hear and communicate with other traffic, but approach control xmissions were not heard. Only when closer to dfw airspace did the reception return. I had the same results on both radios, and have experienced this phenomena before in day VFR conditions. I suspect there is a fault with approach control xmissions or interference in this area, which can be a safety issue. East of the craff intersection (39 DME on the cve 314 degree radial) reception is clear again. I don't believe I violated any FARS, as I proceeded according to the last ATC instructions received, but do believe these 2 problems (missing radar coverage and lost communication) are safety-related and could affect other traffic if not addressed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated aircraft was a PA28-6 and was trying to alert others to possible problems he encountered. Reporter stated that he did not have his equipment checked out because he was able to re-establish communication with ATC. ZFW specialist advised that the area in question, west of ukw at 5000 ft, is a known area opf poor radar coverage and so stated in the control sector operating procedure manual. D10 specialist advised that communication is 'good' in the concerned area with no outstanding reported pros.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT PLT CONCERNED WITH BEING ADVISED OF LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT ALONG RTE OF FLT WHEN WITH ZFW AND INTERMITTENT COM WITH D10 ENRTE DTO.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM LUBBOCK (LBB) TO DENTON, TX (DTO) AT ABOUT 40 MI W OF BOWIE VOR (UKW) ON 271 DEG RADIAL (V278) BTWN POSTE INTXN AND KARYN INTXN, I ENCOUNTERED LIGHT ICING AT 7000 FT. ATC CLRED ME TO DSND TO 5000 FT, WHICH WAS BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER. 2 SAFETY ISSUES THEN AROSE: 1) AT XA30 WHEN ABOUT 20 DME FROM UKW VOR, ATC INFORMED ME THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST, BUT HE WOULD PICK ME UP AGAIN CLOSER TO BOWIE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE CURRENT CHARTS SHOW I WAS WELL ABOVE THE REQUIRED ALTS FOR THIS AIRWAY. RADAR CONTACT WAS RE-ESTABLISHED 5 DME W OF THE VOR. 2) AFTER BEING GIVEN THE STAR, GREGS. GREGS5, I DEPARTED TO VOR AT 100 DEGS AND WAS GIVEN (AT XA45) A NEW FREQ (118.1) FOR DALLAS/REGIONAL APCH. I ESTABLISHED COMS AND CONTINUED ON THE STAR. I WAS TOLD TO DSND TO 4000 FT, WHICH I DID. I PROCEEDED AT 100 DEGS TO GREGS INTXN, THEN I TURNED R TO HDG 134 DEGS, AND PROCEEDED TO THE NEXT INTXN IN THE STAR (CRAFF INTXN). AT THIS POINT, I TURNED TO HDG 080 DEGS TO AWAIT VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH. JUST BEFORE REACHING GREGS INTXN, AT ABOUT 10 DME FROM UKW VOR ON THE 100 DEG RADIAL, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT APCH AGAIN AT 118.1, UNSUCCESSFULLY, BUT COULD HEAR OTHER PLTS SPEAKING TO APCH. I COULD ONLY HEAR THE OTHER PLTS SPEAKING TO APCH, BUT COULD NOT HEAR APCH SPEAKING TO THEM. AFTER A WHILE, ANOTHER PLT CONTACTED ME AND ACTED AS A GO-BTWN WITH APCH CTL. BY THIS TIME, I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH DENTON (DTO) ARPT AND REQUESTED THE ILS RWY 17 APCH. THE OTHER PLT RELAYED MY REQUEST TO APCH CTL. THIS TIME, I WAS ABLE TO HEAR APCH CTL TELL HIM THAT AS ANOTHER ACFT WAS ALREADY ON THE APCH I WOULD NOT BE CLRED. I THEN ASKED THE OTHER PLT TO RELAY TO APCH CTL THAT I WISHED TO CANCEL IFR AS I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, AND WAS IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. I HEARD APCH APPROVE THIS AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT ABOUT XB00. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROB WITH RADIO RECEPTION AT OR BELOW 5000 FT MSL IN THE 20 MI AREA SE OF THE BOWIE VOR ON FREQ 118.1. I COULD CLRLY HEAR AND COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER TFC, BUT APCH CTL XMISSIONS WERE NOT HEARD. ONLY WHEN CLOSER TO DFW AIRSPACE DID THE RECEPTION RETURN. I HAD THE SAME RESULTS ON BOTH RADIOS, AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PHENOMENA BEFORE IN DAY VFR CONDITIONS. I SUSPECT THERE IS A FAULT WITH APCH CTL XMISSIONS OR INTERFERENCE IN THIS AREA, WHICH CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE. E OF THE CRAFF INTXN (39 DME ON THE CVE 314 DEG RADIAL) RECEPTION IS CLR AGAIN. I DON'T BELIEVE I VIOLATED ANY FARS, AS I PROCEEDED ACCORDING TO THE LAST ATC INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED, BUT DO BELIEVE THESE 2 PROBS (MISSING RADAR COVERAGE AND LOST COM) ARE SAFETY-RELATED AND COULD AFFECT OTHER TFC IF NOT ADDRESSED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED ACFT WAS A PA28-6 AND WAS TRYING TO ALERT OTHERS TO POSSIBLE PROBS HE ENCOUNTERED. RPTR STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE HIS EQUIP CHKED OUT BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO RE-ESTABLISH COM WITH ATC. ZFW SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT THE AREA IN QUESTION, W OF UKW AT 5000 FT, IS A KNOWN AREA OPF POOR RADAR COVERAGE AND SO STATED IN THE CTL SECTOR OPERATING PROC MANUAL. D10 SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT COM IS 'GOOD' IN THE CONCERNED AREA WITH NO OUTSTANDING RPTED PROS.

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.