MD80 CREW LWOC AT LAX.

Narrative

XING SANTA MONICA; WE WERE ASKED BY APCH CTL WHETHER WE HAD A VISUAL ON THE FIELD. WE INDICATED THAT WE HAD THE VISUAL AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR THE VISUAL BEHIND THE TFC ON THE STRAIGHT-IN. HAVING RECEIVED A LATE DSCNT; WE WERE APPROX 5000 FT OVER THE FREEWAY. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO A HDG OF 160 DEGS AND FURTHER TFC WAS CALLED OUT FOR THE S COMPLEX. WE WERE ASKED IF WE STILL HAD A VISUAL ON THE FIELD. BECAUSE OF THE LOW SUN ANGLE; WE WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE ARPT. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO TURN R TO 220 DEGS; MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED; CLRED THE ILS RWY 24R. WE WERE HIGH AND FAST ON APCH THAT WE BELIEVED WAS GOING TO BE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. WE APPARENTLY MISSED THE RADIO XMISSION TO GO TO TWR. WE LANDED AND ROLLED OUT TO TXWY AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS; SUCCESSFULLY CONTACTED TWR. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING TO OUR PROBS WERE THE LATE DSCNT; THE CHANGE IN VISIBILITY DUE TO THE LOW SUN ANGLE AND HAZE. WHILE SUCCESSFULLY AVIATING AND NAVING THE APCH; WE FAILED TO COMMUNICATE.