Narrative:

ARTS system at abq ATCT is consistently unreliable. Departing aircraft targets frequently display no beacon code until leaving 8000'. Arriving aircraft lose ARTS tags and beacons codes at various altitudes and distances from the radar antenna. Occasionally all tracked targets will coast, with no ARTS data available. These ARTS irregularities adversely affect safety at abq because of possible incorrect target identify during ARTS fluctuation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the FAA hotline was called, but he has not received an answer to the problem of no beacon targets, false targets and the coasting problem. He stated an evaluation team of maintenance techs checked the system and said it was reflection problem. The reporter thinks it is a problem with the ATC rbs beacon system and the ARTS interface. Some days the system works perfectly. This is an ASR-8 system, and the reporter feels FAA is stalling on fixing the problem because they are scheduled for an ASR-9 system. When this problem occurs, they receive primary radar targets. Reporter was advised to file an ucr.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR EQUIPMENT PROBLEM.

Narrative: ARTS SYS AT ABQ ATCT IS CONSISTENTLY UNRELIABLE. DEPARTING ACFT TARGETS FREQUENTLY DISPLAY NO BEACON CODE UNTIL LEAVING 8000'. ARRIVING ACFT LOSE ARTS TAGS AND BEACONS CODES AT VARIOUS ALTS AND DISTANCES FROM THE RADAR ANTENNA. OCCASIONALLY ALL TRACKED TARGETS WILL COAST, WITH NO ARTS DATA AVAILABLE. THESE ARTS IRREGULARITIES ADVERSELY AFFECT SAFETY AT ABQ BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE INCORRECT TARGET IDENT DURING ARTS FLUCTUATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE FAA HOTLINE WAS CALLED, BUT HE HAS NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER TO THE PROB OF NO BEACON TARGETS, FALSE TARGETS AND THE COASTING PROB. HE STATED AN EVALUATION TEAM OF MAINT TECHS CHKED THE SYS AND SAID IT WAS REFLECTION PROB. THE RPTR THINKS IT IS A PROB WITH THE ATC RBS BEACON SYS AND THE ARTS INTERFACE. SOME DAYS THE SYS WORKS PERFECTLY. THIS IS AN ASR-8 SYS, AND THE RPTR FEELS FAA IS STALLING ON FIXING THE PROB BECAUSE THEY ARE SCHEDULED FOR AN ASR-9 SYS. WHEN THIS PROB OCCURS, THEY RECEIVE PRIMARY RADAR TARGETS. RPTR WAS ADVISED TO FILE AN UCR.

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.