Situation: new ARTS 3A patch installed. The facility now has a coasting problem with tags.

Attributes
ACN	123342
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq
State Reference	NM
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tus
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	123342
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

We have recently installed a new traffic patch in our ARTCC 3.03A program at abqt. Since the installation, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of tracks going into 'CST' or 'XXX' in place of altitude. This occurs at places/altitudes not usually seen. Due to the local terrain, and numerous crossing traffic patterns, altitude information is extremely important. I believe the problem may come either from the patch itself, or from other problems associated with its installation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter stated the patch to the ARTS was installed in may, 1989. Facility maintenance keeps saying the coasting problem is being looked into but they can't find the problem. Reporter advised to file a ucr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SITUATION: NEW ARTS 3A PATCH INSTALLED. THE FAC NOW HAS A COASTING PROBLEM WITH TAGS.

Narrative: WE HAVE RECENTLY INSTALLED A NEW TFC PATCH IN OUR ARTCC 3.03A PROGRAM AT ABQT. SINCE THE INSTALLATION, THERE HAS BEEN A NOTICEABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRACKS GOING INTO 'CST' OR 'XXX' IN PLACE OF ALT. THIS OCCURS AT PLACES/ALTS NOT USUALLY SEEN. DUE TO THE LCL TERRAIN, AND NUMEROUS XING TFC PATTERNS, ALT INFO IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM MAY COME EITHER FROM THE PATCH ITSELF, OR FROM OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ITS INSTALLATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE REPORTER STATED THE PATCH TO THE ARTS WAS INSTALLED IN MAY, 1989. FAC MAINT KEEPS SAYING THE COASTING PROBLEM IS BEING LOOKED INTO BUT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. REPORTER ADVISED TO FILE A UCR.

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.