Installation of new radar antenna near old antenna causes multiple target reflections.

Attributes
ACN	164586
Time
Date	199012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : aus
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	164586
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

To conserve space and $, new ASR9 radar antenna was installed next to current ASR8. ASR9 will not be certified for several months. The proximity of the 2 antennas caused multiple reflections and targets (several per aircraft), occasionally making the tracking of targets impossible, and the radar useless. Some adjustments made later helped, but the multiple target reflections are dangerous. Suggest a different site for ASR9 or a quicker certification than several months. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has filed a ucr since no answer from ASRS report submitted 2 months ago. At present they are still using ASR8 and ASR9 antenna is tied down. When both antennae operate at same time a target near the airport may be presented as 15-20 reflections. Says there is not much which can be done at this late date as they expect ASR9 to be commissioned soon. However, perhaps, FAA can do a better job of planning future installations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTALLATION OF NEW RADAR ANTENNA NEAR OLD ANTENNA CAUSES MULTIPLE TARGET REFLECTIONS.

Narrative: TO CONSERVE SPACE AND $, NEW ASR9 RADAR ANTENNA WAS INSTALLED NEXT TO CURRENT ASR8. ASR9 WILL NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE PROX OF THE 2 ANTENNAS CAUSED MULTIPLE REFLECTIONS AND TARGETS (SEVERAL PER ACFT), OCCASIONALLY MAKING THE TRACKING OF TARGETS IMPOSSIBLE, AND THE RADAR USELESS. SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE LATER HELPED, BUT THE MULTIPLE TARGET REFLECTIONS ARE DANGEROUS. SUGGEST A DIFFERENT SITE FOR ASR9 OR A QUICKER CERTIFICATION THAN SEVERAL MONTHS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAS FILED A UCR SINCE NO ANSWER FROM ASRS RPT SUBMITTED 2 MONTHS AGO. AT PRESENT THEY ARE STILL USING ASR8 AND ASR9 ANTENNA IS TIED DOWN. WHEN BOTH ANTENNAE OPERATE AT SAME TIME A TARGET NEAR THE ARPT MAY BE PRESENTED AS 15-20 REFLECTIONS. SAYS THERE IS NOT MUCH WHICH CAN BE DONE AT THIS LATE DATE AS THEY EXPECT ASR9 TO BE COMMISSIONED SOON. HOWEVER, PERHAPS, FAA CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF PLANNING FUTURE INSTALLATIONS.

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.