Narrative:

We were unable to get the ATIS for mdw until approaching drivr intersection on goshen arrival due to another city's ATIS overpwring mdw ATIS. I cleared off and started writing ATIS on company napkin. About 1/2 way through ATIS, the flight attendant rang us twice. I saw the captain tune up the service interphone. I reached down and turned ATC almost full up in case ATC would call. We were level at 10000 ft and 250 KTS at the time. After I got the ATIS, I went back to full time ATC monitoring. The captain returned from the service interphone and told me the passenger wanted connecting information. About 30 seconds later, approaching awsum intersection, ZAU changed us to another ZAU frequency. I checked in at 10000 ft. Center asked us to confirm our assigned altitude. After communication back and forth, they cleared us to descend 6000 ft. I am not sure we missed the handoff, but ATC acted annoyed. There was very little traffic. In hindsight, I should have not made such an effort to get the WX below FL180. Mdw ATIS is a continuous problem, especially from the east or south. I recommend we consider implementing the snort procedures for getting the WX on arrival. I have done some snort work and those procedures will help prevent this sort of incident. Basically, snort procedures direct asking ATC for the WX below FL180. Is it possible to get another mdw ATIS frequency?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZAU CHALLENGES B737-700 FLT CREW ON ALT ASSIGNMENT, THAT NEITHER PLT REMEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGING.

Narrative: WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE ATIS FOR MDW UNTIL APCHING DRIVR INTXN ON GOSHEN ARR DUE TO ANOTHER CITY'S ATIS OVERPWRING MDW ATIS. I CLRED OFF AND STARTED WRITING ATIS ON COMPANY NAPKIN. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH ATIS, THE FLT ATTENDANT RANG US TWICE. I SAW THE CAPT TUNE UP THE SVC INTERPHONE. I REACHED DOWN AND TURNED ATC ALMOST FULL UP IN CASE ATC WOULD CALL. WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS AT THE TIME. AFTER I GOT THE ATIS, I WENT BACK TO FULL TIME ATC MONITORING. THE CAPT RETURNED FROM THE SVC INTERPHONE AND TOLD ME THE PAX WANTED CONNECTING INFO. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, APCHING AWSUM INTXN, ZAU CHANGED US TO ANOTHER ZAU FREQ. I CHKED IN AT 10000 FT. CTR ASKED US TO CONFIRM OUR ASSIGNED ALT. AFTER COM BACK AND FORTH, THEY CLRED US TO DSND 6000 FT. I AM NOT SURE WE MISSED THE HDOF, BUT ATC ACTED ANNOYED. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TFC. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE NOT MADE SUCH AN EFFORT TO GET THE WX BELOW FL180. MDW ATIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROB, ESPECIALLY FROM THE E OR S. I RECOMMEND WE CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING THE SNORT PROCS FOR GETTING THE WX ON ARR. I HAVE DONE SOME SNORT WORK AND THOSE PROCS WILL HELP PREVENT THIS SORT OF INCIDENT. BASICALLY, SNORT PROCS DIRECT ASKING ATC FOR THE WX BELOW FL180. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET ANOTHER MDW ATIS FREQ?

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.