Conflicting use of VOR frequency to receive audio

I encountered a situation at KMTO (Mattoon, IL) where I needed to open a VFR flight plan with St. Louis Radio (FSS) and according to the chart and AF/D I was to transmit on 123.6 and receive on VOR 109.4. However when listening to 109.4 I received a constant ASOS loop transmission. Am I doing something wrong? In this situation, should I just use 122.2 even though at low altitude to contact FSS?

I am a student pilot so please excuse my ignorance on this.

Thanks!

Scott

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Permalink Reply by eric lee wasson on August 29, 2011 at 3:15am

Sometimes they will broadcast the ASOS over the VOR. So if you cant transmit over the VOR i would suggest using 122.2 If they want you to transmit somewhere else they would tell you

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Permalink Reply by Art Zemon on August 29, 2011 at 6:40am

Scott,

It sounds like you did the right thing. You could have transmitted on 123.6 and flight service would have interrupted the ASOS loop to talk to you on the VOR's frequency.

-- Art Z.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Coyle on August 29, 2011 at 8:57am

That makes sense! I didn't think that they would stop the ASOS loop to communicate back.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Robert J. McCormick on August 29, 2011 at 6:51am

I do not have that sectional here to look at; but, use whatever you need to raise them. Make certain if you are transmitting on 123.6 to tell them you are "listening on 109.4". Be patient too...often you will be remoted to somewhere else...the days of manned flight service stations has long been gone. Do your homework before beginning the flight and have all the available frequencies written down and accessible. A great resource is the "Airport/Facility Directory" available from the US Government. You ought to be able to buy the one for your area from your local FBO and they are cheap. Fly safe. Oh, check your chart for a "W" also by that VOR, it would mean no voice comm available. You could get the center freq. for the area you are in and communicate with them as well, if you are high enough...you might be high enough for voice comm but, not high enough for radar contact. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Coyle on August 29, 2011 at 8:59am

Great advice all around. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Ching Kuan Su on August 29, 2011 at 9:52am

I think you are correct. They will interrupt the ASOS to contact with you. If you could not hear anything from them, you can try another FSS frequencies around your base airport. It happened to me before when I flew around west Iowa. I tried three different frequencies and finally contacted with FSS.

Conflicting use of VOR frequency to receive audio

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