Narrative:

Approximately 1.5 hours into flight at FL380; both captain and first officer radio management panels displays went blank simultaneously. We could not tell what frequency the radios were on or change them. We could receive only on the frequency the radios were on at the time the radio management panels failed. They were on radio #1 ZME and on radio #2 guard 121.5. We were unable to transmit; however. I contacted dispatch through the ACARS; told them our problem and had them call the ctrs and tell them we could receive their instructions on guard 121.5. ZME; ZKC; ZAU; and ZMP ctrs as well as minneapolis approach were brought into the loop by our dispatch and instructions were issued by each respective facility to descend and land us safely using 1-WAY communication on 121.5. Uneventful landing was made in msp. Aircraft was written up describing what happened. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the #1 VHF and #2 VHF communication system is unknown as maintenance has not reported the maintenance action to the crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 IN CRUISE AT FL380 HAD RADIO CTL OF #1 AND #2 VHF FAIL. COULD RECEIVE BUT UNABLE TO XMIT OR CHANGE FREQS. DISPATCH CONTACTED THROUGH ACARS ALERTED ALL CTRS AND APCH CTL AS INVOLVED.

Narrative: APPROX 1.5 HRS INTO FLT AT FL380; BOTH CAPT AND FO RADIO MGMNT PANELS DISPLAYS WENT BLANK SIMULTANEOUSLY. WE COULD NOT TELL WHAT FREQ THE RADIOS WERE ON OR CHANGE THEM. WE COULD RECEIVE ONLY ON THE FREQ THE RADIOS WERE ON AT THE TIME THE RADIO MGMNT PANELS FAILED. THEY WERE ON RADIO #1 ZME AND ON RADIO #2 GUARD 121.5. WE WERE UNABLE TO XMIT; HOWEVER. I CONTACTED DISPATCH THROUGH THE ACARS; TOLD THEM OUR PROB AND HAD THEM CALL THE CTRS AND TELL THEM WE COULD RECEIVE THEIR INSTRUCTIONS ON GUARD 121.5. ZME; ZKC; ZAU; AND ZMP CTRS AS WELL AS MINNEAPOLIS APCH WERE BROUGHT INTO THE LOOP BY OUR DISPATCH AND INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED BY EACH RESPECTIVE FACILITY TO DSND AND LAND US SAFELY USING 1-WAY COM ON 121.5. UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE IN MSP. ACFT WAS WRITTEN UP DESCRIBING WHAT HAPPENED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE #1 VHF AND #2 VHF COM SYS IS UNKNOWN AS MAINT HAS NOT RPTED THE MAINT ACTION TO THE CREW.

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.