ZHU controller described frequency failure involving vscs equipment alleging this problem has been o...

Attributes
ACN	781326
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crp.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 16 controller time certified in position1 : 16
ASRS Report	781326
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility ATC Facility Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : zhu.artcc

Narrative:

Aircraft X was descended to FL240 and switched to 128.15. Soon after the low controller said; 'hey; switch that aircraft X. I need to start him down.' my student tried him again but the B737 was no longer on our frequency. The low controller (128.15) tried the B737 again and noticed the lights on vscs were lighting up but no transmission was heard. He descended the B737 and tried to get an altitude readback. I told him to pop or click the microphone. That seemed to work. In this case it did; and he was able to get the readback. I watched him and he became so distraction with the frequency problem that he failed to start another aircraft down for the crossing restr into san antonio. This has been an ongoing problem for several months and the communication technicians refuse to acknowledge the problem. We have been told; 'there's nothing we can do about it.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZHU CTLR DESCRIBED FREQ FAILURE INVOLVING VSCS EQUIP ALLEGING THIS PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING.

Narrative: ACFT X WAS DSNDED TO FL240 AND SWITCHED TO 128.15. SOON AFTER THE LOW CTLR SAID; 'HEY; SWITCH THAT ACFT X. I NEED TO START HIM DOWN.' MY STUDENT TRIED HIM AGAIN BUT THE B737 WAS NO LONGER ON OUR FREQ. THE LOW CTLR (128.15) TRIED THE B737 AGAIN AND NOTICED THE LIGHTS ON VSCS WERE LIGHTING UP BUT NO XMISSION WAS HEARD. HE DSNDED THE B737 AND TRIED TO GET AN ALT READBACK. I TOLD HIM TO POP OR CLICK THE MIKE. THAT SEEMED TO WORK. IN THIS CASE IT DID; AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE READBACK. I WATCHED HIM AND HE BECAME SO DISTR WITH THE FREQ PROB THAT HE FAILED TO START ANOTHER ACFT DOWN FOR THE XING RESTR INTO SAN ANTONIO. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROB FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE COM TECHNICIANS REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROB. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD; 'THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

ZHU controller described frequency failure involving vscs equipment alleging this problem has been ongoing.