A B737-400 PLT COMMENTS ON A JNU-SEA FLT IN WHICH AN ALT CLRNC AT 13000 FT LIMITED COMMUNICATION WITH ATC; CAUSING HIM TO HOLD ON AIRWAY UNTIL A HIGHER ALT CLRNC ABOVE MSA COULD BE RELAYED.

Narrative

CLRNC TO SEA WAS MARMN DEP SNETT; DIRECT YYJ; SEA; MAINTAIN FL350. ON DEP; JNU TWR AMENDED THE ALT TO MAINTAIN 13000 FT. ON CLB OUT; WE ENTERED IMC AND WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR ON 133.2 (AS ASSIGNED) OR 133.9 (AS PUBLISHED). PRIOR TO MARMN; I CALLED JNU TWR AND ASKED THEM TO GET A FURTHER CLB CLRNC FOR US; AS WE WERE LEVELING 13000 FT; UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR; AND NEEDED TO KEEP CLBING. AFTER A MINUTE OR SO; JNU TWR SAID ANC SAID TO RE-ATTEMPT CONTACT WITH THEM. WE WERE NOW PAST MARMN AND APCHING SNETT. I WAS STILL UNABLE TO CONTACT ANC CTR. I CALLED JNU FSS ON 122.55 AND ASKED THEM TO GET A CLB CLRNC FOR US AND THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A HOLD AT SNETT AT 13000 FT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED. NOT HEARING BACK FROM THEM; AND ARRIVING AT SNETT; I DIRECTED THE FO (PF) TO ENTER A HOLD AT SNETT. MY CONCERN WAS THAT AFTER SNETT WE HAD A DIRECT CLRNC TO YYJ (MANY HUNDRED MILES DOWN THE ROAD); WERE OFF AIRWAY (NO MEA); AND I WAS NOT SURE WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A CLB CLRNC ANY TIME SOON. 13000 FT IS BARELY ABOVE THE VICINITY MSA OF AROUND 12600 FT. AFTER ENTERING THE STANDARD HOLD (HIGH TERRAIN WOULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOLD) AT SNETT AT 13000 FT; JNU FSS CALLED BACK WITH A CLB CLRNC TO FL320. WE HAD MADE ONE TURN AT SNETT. WE RE-ATTEMPTED ANC CTR ON 133.2 AND FINALLY GOT THEM AT ABOUT FL200 AFTER PASSING SNETT SE BOUND DIRECT YYJ. OUR INABILITY TO CONTACT ANC CTR AFTER BEING GIVEN A (LOW) ALT RESTRICTION WITH NO EFC CLRNC AND OFF AIRWAY DIRECT ROUTING; PUT US IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION ON DEP.