ZHU controller expressed concern regarding an ongoing severe frequency problem.

Attributes
ACN	725250
Time
Date	200701
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zhu.artcc
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	725250
Events
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : zhu.artcc

Narrative:

My report is on a severe frequency problem that we have at ZHU at the busiest sequencing sector in the building. This is the northeast cornerpost for iah; hou and numerous other smaller airports. The frequency 133.575 is constantly being reported by all types of aircraft to sound: 1) like there is a stuck microphone. 2) conversations in background like telephone conversation. 3) static. 4) background noise. 5) other. It is a constant concern that we will not be able to separate 2 aircraft because they often cannot hear us. It is a dangerous situation that needs to be fixed immediately. Every controller I have spoken with agrees that it is a dangerous problem. Pilots constantly key up checking for stuck microphone and announce 'stuck microphone' on frequency. The area that is affected works approximately 40% of ZHU traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING AN ONGOING SEVERE FREQ PROB.

Narrative: MY REPORT IS ON A SEVERE FREQ PROB THAT WE HAVE AT ZHU AT THE BUSIEST SEQUENCING SECTOR IN THE BUILDING. THIS IS THE NE CORNERPOST FOR IAH; HOU AND NUMEROUS OTHER SMALLER ARPTS. THE FREQ 133.575 IS CONSTANTLY BEING REPORTED BY ALL TYPES OF ACFT TO SOUND: 1) LIKE THERE IS A STUCK MIC. 2) CONVERSATIONS IN BACKGROUND LIKE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION. 3) STATIC. 4) BACKGROUND NOISE. 5) OTHER. IT IS A CONSTANT CONCERN THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEPARATE 2 ACFT BECAUSE THEY OFTEN CANNOT HEAR US. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY. EVERY CTLR I HAVE SPOKEN WITH AGREES THAT IT IS A DANGEROUS PROB. PLTS CONSTANTLY KEY UP CHECKING FOR STUCK MIC AND ANNOUNCE 'STUCK MIC' ON FREQ. THE AREA THAT IS AFFECTED WORKS APPROX 40% OF ZHU TFC.

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.