A DC9-30 DISPATCHED WITH #2 VHF COM XCEIVER INOP AND DEFERRED HAS #1 VHF COM FAIL IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. NECESSARY TO USE ACARS COM UNIT FOR ATC COMS.

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FEB/XA/00 AT XA50Z ACR FLT XXX DEPARTING DCA TO IND; ARRIVED AT GATE FROM ATL (FLT WYY) WITH THE #1 VHF RADIO INOP. BECAUSE NO REPLACEMENT RADIOS WERE AVAILABLE AND A QUICK TURNAROUND NEEDED FOR SCHEDULING (XB45) MAINT DEPT SWAPPED RADIOS AND DEFERRED (DMI) AS PER OUR 'MEL' THE NOW #2 RADIO. WE WERE STILL IN COMPLIANCE SINCE WE COULD USE OUR ACARS AS OUR REQUIRED SECOND VHF RADIO. LEGAL -- BUT PERHAPS NOT PRUDENT ON A DC9. 1-2 MINS AFTER ROTATION; DCA TWR ADVISED US TO GO TO DEP AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT. WE WERE UNABLE TO RAISE DEP SO WE CALLED THE DCA TWR BACK; WHICH THEN ASSIGNED US TO A 270 DEG HDG/5000 FT AND A NEW DEP FREQ. UNABLE TO RAISE DEP AGAIN; WE CALLED DCA BACK AND HE GAVE US ANOTHER DEP FREQ. THE FREQ WORKED AND ZDC GAVE US 360 DEG HDG AND 9000 FT. 2-3 MINS LATER; THE #1 RADIO FAILED ALTOGETHER; AND WE TRAVELED THROUGH A LOT OF AIRSPACE AT 210 KTS; 9000 FT; 360 DEG HDG FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINS BEFORE THE CAPT COULD FINALLY EFFECTIVELY XMIT ON THE ACARS RADIO BECAUSE THE #1 RADIO WAS INTERMITTENT. WE DID NOT SQUAWK 7700/7600; BUT IN BTWN THE LAPSES ON NO COM; WE TRAVELED APPROX 15-25 MI OR 10-12 MINS ON AND OFF WITHOUT COMS WITH ZDC AND DULLES AIRSPACE. THE MEL SHOULD NOT ALLOW DISPATCH WITH 1 RADIO AND ACARS VHF AS A BACKUP; AND WE SHOULD HAVE MORE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT TO DO IN A LOST COM SIT; IE; PROCEED TO DEST OR RETURN.