Narrative:

Approach frequency 118.35 was continually blocked. The controller's xmissions were blocked 80% of the time by other aircraft's xmissions. I was on a 350 degree vector, anticipating a turn onto the localizer for runway 27L. By the time one of the controller's calls to us got through, we were already past the localizer course. As we turned to a 230 degree heading to intercept the localizer course we crossed the ctrlines of all 4 runways in atlanta. Visibility where we were was not good enough to see other aircraft but there appeared to be no traffic conflicts on TCASII. There were too many aircraft on the frequency and too many xmissions. We were being set up for a disaster. A better way to handle the traffic would be to clear us to intercept the localizer when we are given the first vector that could cause a conflict. Even if the controller plans on 2 more turns before clearing us for an approach, this would significantly reduce the risk of a traffic conflict. I also don't appreciate the controller using a tone of voice when communicating with us that seems to imply we were not paying attention to the controller. If a controller or ATC facility cannot manage radio traffic and aircraft safely, and without raising their own level of frustration, they have no business taking it out on us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ON VECTORS TO ATL EXPERIENCES FREQ CONGESTION AND CROSSED CTRLINES FOR ALL 4 RWYS TRYING TO INTERCEPT LOC.

Narrative: APCH FREQ 118.35 WAS CONTINUALLY BLOCKED. THE CTLR'S XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED 80% OF THE TIME BY OTHER ACFT'S XMISSIONS. I WAS ON A 350 DEG VECTOR, ANTICIPATING A TURN ONTO THE LOC FOR RWY 27L. BY THE TIME ONE OF THE CTLR'S CALLS TO US GOT THROUGH, WE WERE ALREADY PAST THE LOC COURSE. AS WE TURNED TO A 230 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE LOC COURSE WE CROSSED THE CTRLINES OF ALL 4 RWYS IN ATLANTA. VISIBILITY WHERE WE WERE WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SEE OTHER ACFT BUT THERE APPEARED TO BE NO TFC CONFLICTS ON TCASII. THERE WERE TOO MANY ACFT ON THE FREQ AND TOO MANY XMISSIONS. WE WERE BEING SET UP FOR A DISASTER. A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE THE TFC WOULD BE TO CLR US TO INTERCEPT THE LOC WHEN WE ARE GIVEN THE FIRST VECTOR THAT COULD CAUSE A CONFLICT. EVEN IF THE CTLR PLANS ON 2 MORE TURNS BEFORE CLRING US FOR AN APCH, THIS WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RISK OF A TFC CONFLICT. I ALSO DON'T APPRECIATE THE CTLR USING A TONE OF VOICE WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH US THAT SEEMS TO IMPLY WE WERE NOT PAYING ATTN TO THE CTLR. IF A CTLR OR ATC FACILITY CANNOT MANAGE RADIO TFC AND ACFT SAFELY, AND WITHOUT RAISING THEIR OWN LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION, THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS TAKING IT OUT ON US.

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.