Narrative:

On taxi out; we were switched from ground to tower; 132.22 no mention was made to 'monitor' frequency. We initially heard communications on 132.22; but then there was dead silence on the frequency for several mins. Concerned we might have a radio issue; we queried 'radio check' and got no answer. We tuned our second VHF to 132.22 to ensure the radio was working. By now; other airlines were also querying tower; as the frequency was unusually silent. Finally; after several mins; tower responded rather irritably to another airline that we were all supposed to 'monitor the frequency;' and he was very busy. An aircraft in front of us crossed runway 33L; and yet we heard no clearance from 132.22 for him to do so. Another airline; again; queried tower and said; 'is anybody there?' tower came back; even more irritated; and once again admonished us to monitor. This airline replied; 'well; we saw a guy cross runway 33L and we didn't hear the clearance; so we were wondering if we were on the right frequency.' tower replied; 'he got impatient and switched frequencys before I told him to; that's why.' the dead silence when one is holding short to cross an active runway leads to that creeping feeling you forgot to switch frequencys; or somehow your radio died; or tower had a power outage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY BELIEVE THEY HAVE LOST COMS AND QUERY THE TWR.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT; WE WERE SWITCHED FROM GND TO TWR; 132.22 NO MENTION WAS MADE TO 'MONITOR' FREQ. WE INITIALLY HEARD COMS ON 132.22; BUT THEN THERE WAS DEAD SILENCE ON THE FREQ FOR SEVERAL MINS. CONCERNED WE MIGHT HAVE A RADIO ISSUE; WE QUERIED 'RADIO CHK' AND GOT NO ANSWER. WE TUNED OUR SECOND VHF TO 132.22 TO ENSURE THE RADIO WAS WORKING. BY NOW; OTHER AIRLINES WERE ALSO QUERYING TWR; AS THE FREQ WAS UNUSUALLY SILENT. FINALLY; AFTER SEVERAL MINS; TWR RESPONDED RATHER IRRITABLY TO ANOTHER AIRLINE THAT WE WERE ALL SUPPOSED TO 'MONITOR THE FREQ;' AND HE WAS VERY BUSY. AN ACFT IN FRONT OF US CROSSED RWY 33L; AND YET WE HEARD NO CLRNC FROM 132.22 FOR HIM TO DO SO. ANOTHER AIRLINE; AGAIN; QUERIED TWR AND SAID; 'IS ANYBODY THERE?' TWR CAME BACK; EVEN MORE IRRITATED; AND ONCE AGAIN ADMONISHED US TO MONITOR. THIS AIRLINE REPLIED; 'WELL; WE SAW A GUY CROSS RWY 33L AND WE DIDN'T HEAR THE CLRNC; SO WE WERE WONDERING IF WE WERE ON THE RIGHT FREQ.' TWR REPLIED; 'HE GOT IMPATIENT AND SWITCHED FREQS BEFORE I TOLD HIM TO; THAT'S WHY.' THE DEAD SILENCE WHEN ONE IS HOLDING SHORT TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY LEADS TO THAT CREEPING FEELING YOU FORGOT TO SWITCH FREQS; OR SOMEHOW YOUR RADIO DIED; OR TWR HAD A PWR OUTAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.