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ArjanPlomp

Active Member
I can use some thoughts on the following problem:

On my way in to the Washington DC SFRA, I contacted approach and all was fine. They heard me fine, I heard them fine and I was allowed to proceed. Just 1 minute later, they tried to contact me again and I could barely hear them. Very, very faint. I tried this on both radio?s with the same result. Turned the squelch on the 430W off and heard lots of normal pink noise. ATC could hear me just fine, I could just not hear them. It was clearly not the 430W itself, nor my audio panel, nor my Icom A-200 radio. Interestingly enough, I could clearly hear my buddy (half a mile away) and he could clearly hear ATC. Very strange. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Alexander
N83SE
 
Do you think it could be static build up on the airframe? That is the only thing I can think that would affect both receivers and not the transmitters. Any power distribution problems would be more likely to affect the transmitters. The signal from your buddy's plane who was 1/2 mile away was probably so strong it could blow through any low level static. Did you try and tune in an ATIS or AWOS?

Interesting problem, indeed. I will be very interested in hearing your final diagnosis.
 
AWOS

Good thought. Now that I think of it, the AWOS was received just fine also (10 miles out). Maybe it was just the location of the aircraft in the airspace.

Static has not been a problem before. The antenna's have been installed for over 300hrs at this location without any problems. Just to be sure I'm going to check ground wires and antenna connectors.
 
I had this same problem a few weeks ago approaching DC, in the Stafford area. I think I was with Potomac approach. I concluded it was them. It was a small section of airspace, weather was clear, so no static buildup. It did make for an ansy few minutes, but I was on an IFR flight plan and I knew they knew where I was landing.

Vic
 
May be "normal"

Over years of flying, have noticed similar occurrances. In many cases flying along another few miles solves the problem. In some cases, ATC will be using more than one transmit site, and sometimes they can briefly interfere with each other.

Wouldn't dig very deep unless it happens regularly.
 
Makes me feel better

Both previous replies make me feel much better. I won't dig much deeper unless it happens too often. I did notice a similar problem two weeks ago (Wooly gate 132.77, but contacted two different frequencies (125.52 & 128.7) without problems.
 
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