Poor radio coverage a problem at KBAZ

This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.

Radio coverage and range of San Antonio approach is very poor on most all of their multiple frequencies. This presents a special problem at New Braunfels Airport (KBAZ) when doing practice or actual instrument approaches.

Approach radio coverage is pretty much unusable below 3,000 feet on the east side of the airport and spotty in most all areas surrounding the airport.

Everyone, including Approach, is well aware of this and they are forced to hand off in-bound traffic to New Braunfels Tower way too early and Tower, being non-radar, is blind to that traffic until acquiring them visually.

Often, after the handoff, Approach has to call Tower on the phone to have them warn the handed-off aircraft of a potential conflict.

I personally have had several uncomfortable close encounters with traffic while doing practice instrument approaches at KBAZ, which could have been avoided if I could have remained in contact with Approach longer.

It’s a bit odd that radar and VOR coverage there goes down to 500 feet or so, yet comm radio coverage is pretty much unusable below 3,000 feet.

KSAT Approach coverage is poor in most all other directions too. I have been flying 20 miles south of KSAT before on a clear day and could actually see the airport visually but yet Approach radio coverage was very poor below 2,500 feet.

Primary Problem: ATC Equipment

ACN: 1997273