Narrative:

Prior to entering new york oceanic airspace on a flight from teb to tncm (st maarten), I tuned our HF to the primary frequency and heard other aircraft talking to ZNY. I assumed that the radio was working properly. At this point I did not try to transmit on the frequency. At the bacus intersection radar service was terminated and we were instructed to call new york oceanic on HF. After several attempts on the primary and secondary frequencys, we found that we were unable to establish communications with new york oceanic. We then continued via our clearance. After a few mins we established contact with an airliner on air-to-air frequency. He was able to relay our position to new york oceanic for us. He then told us to call ZMA on VHF at the leton intersection. At leton we established communications with miami and the flight then proceeded normally to our destination. As you can imagine, we were a little concerned flying several hundred mi over water unable to talk to ATC. The whole problem began when we assumed that the HF was working properly due to the fact that we could hear other aircraft talking. I should have attempted to transmit at that time, thus proving the radio to be functional. We learned our lesson. In the future, I will perform a complete functional check of HF equipment before needing it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HF COM NOT POSSIBLE DURING AN OCEANIC FLT WHEN CREW FINDS THEY CAN HEAR BUT NOT XMIT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO ENTERING NEW YORK OCEANIC AIRSPACE ON A FLT FROM TEB TO TNCM (ST MAARTEN), I TUNED OUR HF TO THE PRIMARY FREQ AND HEARD OTHER ACFT TALKING TO ZNY. I ASSUMED THAT THE RADIO WAS WORKING PROPERLY. AT THIS POINT I DID NOT TRY TO XMIT ON THE FREQ. AT THE BACUS INTXN RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CALL NEW YORK OCEANIC ON HF. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS ON THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FREQS, WE FOUND THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH COMS WITH NEW YORK OCEANIC. WE THEN CONTINUED VIA OUR CLRNC. AFTER A FEW MINS WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH AN AIRLINER ON AIR-TO-AIR FREQ. HE WAS ABLE TO RELAY OUR POS TO NEW YORK OCEANIC FOR US. HE THEN TOLD US TO CALL ZMA ON VHF AT THE LETON INTXN. AT LETON WE ESTABLISHED COMS WITH MIAMI AND THE FLT THEN PROCEEDED NORMALLY TO OUR DEST. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED FLYING SEVERAL HUNDRED MI OVER WATER UNABLE TO TALK TO ATC. THE WHOLE PROB BEGAN WHEN WE ASSUMED THAT THE HF WAS WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE COULD HEAR OTHER ACFT TALKING. I SHOULD HAVE ATTEMPTED TO XMIT AT THAT TIME, THUS PROVING THE RADIO TO BE FUNCTIONAL. WE LEARNED OUR LESSON. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PERFORM A COMPLETE FUNCTIONAL CHK OF HF EQUIP BEFORE NEEDING IT.

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.