ARTCC radio communication equipment has constant hum or buzzing on high altitude sector position.

Attributes
ACN	154942
Time
Date	199008
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zkc
State Reference	MO
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20 flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1100
ASRS Report	154942
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

This report is turned in because of chronic unsatisfactory maintenance. Sector 26 (mkc hi) at the kansas city ARTCC, uses frequency 134.7/279.5. The frequency has a buzzing sound in both the speaker and the controllers headset, it is present at all times. The problem has been reported repeatedly, and maintenance personnel are aware of the problem. They have said it is a ground problem and say that a ground problem is hard to find. This condition has existed for over 30 days. The constant buzz is very annoying and creates fatigue, which in turn could lead to a safety problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter was asked by facility management to hold ucr so that af could take another look at the problem. Problem was fixed within one week. Caused some hardship on the controllers but no conflicts occurred. This is a high altitude sector. Reporter has 20 yrs of controller experience and 1100 hours of pilot time with 90 hours in the last 30 days. Reporter dropped ucr after problem was fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADIO COM EQUIPMENT HAS CONSTANT HUM OR BUZZING ON HIGH ALT SECTOR POSITION.

Narrative: THIS RPT IS TURNED IN BECAUSE OF CHRONIC UNSATISFACTORY MAINT. SECTOR 26 (MKC HI) AT THE KANSAS CITY ARTCC, USES FREQ 134.7/279.5. THE FREQ HAS A BUZZING SOUND IN BOTH THE SPEAKER AND THE CTLRS HEADSET, IT IS PRESENT AT ALL TIMES. THE PROB HAS BEEN RPTED REPEATEDLY, AND MAINT PERSONNEL ARE AWARE OF THE PROB. THEY HAVE SAID IT IS A GND PROB AND SAY THAT A GND PROB IS HARD TO FIND. THIS CONDITION HAS EXISTED FOR OVER 30 DAYS. THE CONSTANT BUZZ IS VERY ANNOYING AND CREATES FATIGUE, WHICH IN TURN COULD LEAD TO A SAFETY PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR WAS ASKED BY FAC MGMNT TO HOLD UCR SO THAT AF COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE PROB. PROB WAS FIXED WITHIN ONE WK. CAUSED SOME HARDSHIP ON THE CTLRS BUT NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED. THIS IS A HIGH ALT SECTOR. RPTR HAS 20 YRS OF CTLR EXPERIENCE AND 1100 HRS OF PLT TIME WITH 90 HRS IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. RPTR DROPPED UCR AFTER PROB WAS FIXED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.