Narrative:

Flight from china to us east coast. Unable to comply with fom requiring contact with sfo commercial radio HF passing through russia. No HF frequencies for sfo work for the entire trip through russia. Communication page in fom for HF coverage indicates no coverage for HF where we are flying. That was the case; as usual. Tried all frequencys on maps and communication page in fom. Called sfo commercial radio on satcom to confirm frequencys. Frequent problem of unable to comply with fom. HF not designed to work over landmasses and mountains despite fom instructions to call sfo commercial radio on HF. 2) unable to comply with far 91; 121; ICAO annex 2; doc 4444; annex 10 and russia state law regarding various legal requirements to remain in constant communication with magadan ATC on HF on G494 from the magadan fir; turdi intersection; to anchorage fir; orvit intersection. Distance of NORDO 669 miles or 88 minutes. No HF voice communications capable. Also unable sfo commercial radio on same course; unable to comply with fom voice or SELCAL to dispatch. Tried all charted and fom communication page published HF frequencies and sfo barrow HF frequencys on flight plan. Tried both HF radios. Called magadan; sfo commercial radio; anchorage and gander on satcom to confirm applicable frequencies and report our situation. Gander HF became available just upon reaching orvit and worked ok until VHF resumed in canada. Typical polar NORDO operations. Is it possible there are problems with chinese maintenance of the HF in the 400; or could it be an original installation issue? Can we get a special NORDO operations ok letter or 'NORDO authorized' license endorsement from the FAA as this consistent lost communication situation seems to defy several laws? Many crews simply ignore the situation and could care less; but I do not want a mig 25 on my wing so I always call russia via satcom when HF fails to work. 3) the same situation is required with iceland on polar 1 and 2 or hybrids prior to losing satcom and HF.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPTAIN REPORTS INABILITY TO COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS REQUIRING RADIO CONTACT WITH DISPATCH ON POLAR ROUTES AND THROUGH RUSSIAN AIRSPACE USING HF COM. ALSO A PROBLEM WITH RUSSIAN AIRSPACE CONTROLLING AGENCIES.

Narrative: FLT FROM CHINA TO US EAST COAST. UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH FOM REQUIRING CONTACT WITH SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO HF PASSING THROUGH RUSSIA. NO HF FREQUENCIES FOR SFO WORK FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP THROUGH RUSSIA. COM PAGE IN FOM FOR HF COVERAGE INDICATES NO COVERAGE FOR HF WHERE WE ARE FLYING. THAT WAS THE CASE; AS USUAL. TRIED ALL FREQS ON MAPS AND COM PAGE IN FOM. CALLED SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO ON SATCOM TO CONFIRM FREQS. FREQUENT PROBLEM OF UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH FOM. HF NOT DESIGNED TO WORK OVER LANDMASSES AND MOUNTAINS DESPITE FOM INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO ON HF. 2) UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH FAR 91; 121; ICAO ANNEX 2; DOC 4444; ANNEX 10 AND RUSSIA STATE LAW REGARDING VARIOUS LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO REMAIN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH MAGADAN ATC ON HF ON G494 FROM THE MAGADAN FIR; TURDI INTERSECTION; TO ANCHORAGE FIR; ORVIT INTERSECTION. DISTANCE OF NORDO 669 MILES OR 88 MINUTES. NO HF VOICE COMMUNICATIONS CAPABLE. ALSO UNABLE SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO ON SAME COURSE; UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH FOM VOICE OR SELCAL TO DISPATCH. TRIED ALL CHARTED AND FOM COM PAGE PUBLISHED HF FREQUENCIES AND SFO BARROW HF FREQS ON FLIGHT PLAN. TRIED BOTH HF RADIOS. CALLED MAGADAN; SFO COMMERCIAL RADIO; ANCHORAGE AND GANDER ON SATCOM TO CONFIRM APPLICABLE FREQUENCIES AND REPORT OUR SITUATION. GANDER HF BECAME AVAILABLE JUST UPON REACHING ORVIT AND WORKED OK UNTIL VHF RESUMED IN CANADA. TYPICAL POLAR NORDO OPERATIONS. IS IT POSSIBLE THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH CHINESE MAINTENANCE OF THE HF IN THE 400; OR COULD IT BE AN ORIGINAL INSTALLATION ISSUE? CAN WE GET A SPECIAL NORDO OPS OK LETTER OR 'NORDO AUTHORIZED' LICENSE ENDORSEMENT FROM THE FAA AS THIS CONSISTENT LOST COM SITUATION SEEMS TO DEFY SEVERAL LAWS? MANY CREWS SIMPLY IGNORE THE SITUATION AND COULD CARE LESS; BUT I DO NOT WANT A MIG 25 ON MY WING SO I ALWAYS CALL RUSSIA VIA SATCOM WHEN HF FAILS TO WORK. 3) THE SAME SITUATION IS REQUIRED WITH ICELAND ON POLAR 1 AND 2 OR HYBRIDS PRIOR TO LOSING SATCOM AND HF.

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.