A helicopter pilot reports being unable to contact deridder FSS near hum on VHF 122.45.

Attributes
ACN	798111
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dri.fss
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 21000
ASRS Report	798111
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

De ridder FSS could not receive on frequency 122.45. Recurring problem!callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that de ridder FSS transmissions on 113.5 appear to work well; but aircraft are unable to get a response from de ridder when that facility is initially contacted on 122.45. The problem seems to have begun when the de ridder FSS was closed and functions moved to the de ridder area of ft worth. The reporter has talked with the FSS personnel on the phone and was told that this problem was low priority and would be taken care of after other problems were addressed. The reporter stated that in general the flight service station services; including important WX briefings; are not at a standard that can be consistently relied upon to be accurate because many times the FSS person on the phone is located at a distant location and is not familiar with what the pilot is asking for.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTS BEING UNABLE TO CONTACT DERIDDER FSS NEAR HUM ON VHF 122.45.

Narrative: DE RIDDER FSS COULD NOT RECEIVE ON FREQ 122.45. RECURRING PROBLEM!CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT DE RIDDER FSS TRANSMISSIONS ON 113.5 APPEAR TO WORK WELL; BUT ACFT ARE UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE FROM DE RIDDER WHEN THAT FACILITY IS INITIALLY CONTACTED ON 122.45. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE BEGUN WHEN THE DE RIDDER FSS WAS CLOSED AND FUNCTIONS MOVED TO THE DE RIDDER AREA OF FT WORTH. THE REPORTER HAS TALKED WITH THE FSS PERSONNEL ON THE PHONE AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS LOW PRIORITY AND WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF AFTER OTHER PROBLEMS WERE ADDRESSED. THE REPORTER STATED THAT IN GENERAL THE FLT SERVICE STATION SERVICES; INCLUDING IMPORTANT WX BRIEFINGS; ARE NOT AT A STANDARD THAT CAN BE CONSISTENTLY RELIED UPON TO BE ACCURATE BECAUSE MANY TIMES THE FSS PERSON ON THE PHONE IS LOCATED AT A DISTANT LOCATION AND IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE PILOT IS ASKING FOR.

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.