Narrative:

I would like to highlight a potential safety issue related to air-to-ground communications in a specific geographical area. In the airspace above mrb (martinsburg; west virgina); within the class D airspace; according to the tower controller I queried; effective communications can not be established with the controlling ATC approach/departure facility (potomac TRACON; pct) until reaching approximately 2;200 MSL. Yet; upon departing mrb; the tower will typically instruct the departing aircraft to contact pct upon leaving 1;500 MSL approximately. During my flight (in a C172) with a student; I was executing a published missed approach on the VOR a approach (mrb) climbing to 3;000 MSL. I was instructed to contact potomac by the tower; and did so; but there was a minute or so (prior to reaching 2;200 ft) when effective communications were not available/established. The result is that I got the sense that the potomac controller had perhaps given me clearance information (pertaining to my next requested clearance; the ILS for runway 26) that I did not receive. He presumably heard me well enough to respond with clearance information; yet I could not effectively hear him. Received communications were weak and broken until reaching 2;200 ft. As such; confusion between me and the controller resulted. Upon reaching 3;000 ft; I held altitude momentarily and did not climb to the 3;400 initial approach altitude associated with the ILS approach. We (the controller and me) worked it out; and I don't believe any safety issues resulted in this particular flight; but I nonetheless thought that the communication situation perhaps should be assessed in the mrb area. Perhaps a note should be inserted in the approach notes that effective communications can not be established until 2;200 ft when departing mrb; and as such; aircraft should wait until reaching that altitude before attempting to contact pct. It seems like it would decrease the chances of confusion between pilots and controllers in that specific airspace during departure or a missed approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: General aviation pilot voiced concern regarding the limited communications available with ATC during IFR operations at MRB airport; suggesting that the potential communications limitation be published on approach charts.

Narrative: I would like to highlight a potential safety issue related to air-to-ground communications in a specific geographical area. In the airspace above MRB (Martinsburg; West Virgina); within the Class D airspace; according to the Tower Controller I queried; effective communications can not be established with the Controlling ATC Approach/Departure facility (Potomac TRACON; PCT) until reaching approximately 2;200 MSL. Yet; upon departing MRB; the Tower will typically instruct the departing aircraft to contact PCT upon leaving 1;500 MSL approximately. During my flight (in a C172) with a student; I was executing a published missed approach on the VOR A Approach (MRB) climbing to 3;000 MSL. I was instructed to contact Potomac by the Tower; and did so; but there was a minute or so (prior to reaching 2;200 FT) when effective communications were not available/established. The result is that I got the sense that the Potomac Controller had perhaps given me clearance information (pertaining to my next requested clearance; the ILS for Runway 26) that I did not receive. He presumably heard me well enough to respond with clearance information; yet I could not effectively hear him. Received communications were weak and broken until reaching 2;200 FT. As such; confusion between me and the Controller resulted. Upon reaching 3;000 FT; I held altitude momentarily and did not climb to the 3;400 initial approach altitude associated with the ILS approach. We (the Controller and me) worked it out; and I don't believe any safety issues resulted in this particular flight; but I nonetheless thought that the communication situation perhaps should be assessed in the MRB area. Perhaps a note should be inserted in the approach notes that effective communications can not be established until 2;200 FT when departing MRB; and as such; aircraft should wait until reaching that altitude before attempting to contact PCT. It seems like it would decrease the chances of confusion between pilots and controllers in that specific airspace during departure or a missed approach.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.