Narrative:

Tags on aircraft are dropping from the radar screen (BRITE), leaving primary target only. Aircraft call sign, speed and altitude are lost when this happens. This problem has been happening for at least several months. We have tried using FAA channels to get the problem fixed, but no one seems to be able to identify where the problem is, and it has gotten worse. After finding out that dfw has been having a similar problem, I decided to send in this NASA report. More thorough documentation of this problem is being sent to the natca regional safety committee. Sometimes the ARTS tags will reacquire after several sweeps of the radar. The times when this problem is most critical are during periods of heavy traffic and during IFR WX. Important data is lost. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states that targets are going into coast status after aircraft are handed off to them from approach control. Occasionally targets will drop from scope. This problem is occurring within 8 mi from airport, but mostly 3-4 mi on final on several runways that are commonly used. It may also be occurring in other areas around the airport, but does not have the impact the other areas do. Altitude involved is approximately 2000' and below. The same thing is happening on the TRACON scope, but since the aircraft are under the tower's control, there is little impact. Hou is a limited radar facility using ARTS 111A system. The problem is being worked on, however they have not found out what is causing it. Reporter also mentioned that departing aircraft take longer to tag than before and may be caused by the same problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTS TAGS DROPPING FROM BRITE RADAR SCOPE FOR LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AT LIMITED RADAR APCH CTL FAC.

Narrative: TAGS ON ACFT ARE DROPPING FROM THE RADAR SCREEN (BRITE), LEAVING PRIMARY TARGET ONLY. ACFT CALL SIGN, SPD AND ALT ARE LOST WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS PROB HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WE HAVE TRIED USING FAA CHANNELS TO GET THE PROB FIXED, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO IDENT WHERE THE PROB IS, AND IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. AFTER FINDING OUT THAT DFW HAS BEEN HAVING A SIMILAR PROB, I DECIDED TO SEND IN THIS NASA RPT. MORE THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION OF THIS PROB IS BEING SENT TO THE NATCA REGIONAL SAFETY COMMITTEE. SOMETIMES THE ARTS TAGS WILL REACQUIRE AFTER SEVERAL SWEEPS OF THE RADAR. THE TIMES WHEN THIS PROB IS MOST CRITICAL ARE DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY TFC AND DURING IFR WX. IMPORTANT DATA IS LOST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THAT TARGETS ARE GOING INTO COAST STATUS AFTER ACFT ARE HANDED OFF TO THEM FROM APCH CTL. OCCASIONALLY TARGETS WILL DROP FROM SCOPE. THIS PROB IS OCCURRING WITHIN 8 MI FROM ARPT, BUT MOSTLY 3-4 MI ON FINAL ON SEVERAL RWYS THAT ARE COMMONLY USED. IT MAY ALSO BE OCCURRING IN OTHER AREAS AROUND THE ARPT, BUT DOES NOT HAVE THE IMPACT THE OTHER AREAS DO. ALT INVOLVED IS APPROX 2000' AND BELOW. THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING ON THE TRACON SCOPE, BUT SINCE THE ACFT ARE UNDER THE TWR'S CTL, THERE IS LITTLE IMPACT. HOU IS A LIMITED RADAR FAC USING ARTS 111A SYS. THE PROB IS BEING WORKED ON, HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT FOUND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT. RPTR ALSO MENTIONED THAT DEPARTING ACFT TAKE LONGER TO TAG THAN BEFORE AND MAY BE CAUSED BY THE SAME PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.