A300 FLT CREW RPTS ZLC FAILED TO HAND THEM OFF TO ZMP ON A LATE NIGHT FLT.

Narrative

WHILE ON A ROUTINE CARGO FLT FROM SEATTLE; WA; TO DAYTON; OH; WE ENCOUNTERED A COM PROB WITH ATC. AFTER TKOF FROM SEA; WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZSE WHO LATER PASSED US ON TO ZLC. UPON CHKING IN WITH ZLC; WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT NODINE (ODI). AFTER 35-40 MINS; WE CALLED ZLC TO SEE IF THEY WERE STILL ON FREQ BECAUSE THINGS WERE QUIET AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. CHKING OVER THE ENRTE CHARTS; WE TRIED NUMEROUS ZLC FREQS TO NO AVAIL. WE THEN TRIED ZMP AND MADE CONTACT ON 124.2 AT OR BEFORE DUPREE (DPR) WHILE STILL FLYING DIRECT TO NODINE ON COURSE. WHEN DISCUSSING THIS PROB WITH OTHER CREW MEMBERS; IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB. MANY CREW MEMBERS HAVE STORIES ABOUT ZLC NOT HANDING THEM OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR WHICH CAUSES MOMENTARY PANIC WHILE TRYING NUMEROUS FREQS OFF THE ENRTE CHARTS UNTIL RADIO COMS ARE RE-ESTABLISHED. MOST OF THE OCCURRENCES HAPPEN WHEN TRAVELING EBOUND LATE AT NIGHT AND WHEN SWITCHING FROM ZLC TO EITHER ZDV OR ZMP. IN CONCLUSION; I SUGGEST THAT WHILE TRAVELING ON LIGHT TFC RTES (QUIET) THAT GUIDE LINES BE ESTABLISHED THAT EITHER ATC OR THE ACFT CHK WITH EACH OTHER EVERY 10-15 MINS TO ENSURE THAT COMS ARE ADEQUATE AND NOT LOST.