Narrative:

I believe that an unsafe condition exists at this FAA facility because of erratic and unexplainable 0's which appear on the radar scopes when controllers are making entries. I have been aware of this problem since 10/90. At first only a few 0's would appear. Now at times they appear with almost every tenth entry. Not all air traffic controllers are bothered with this problem. The problem is, when the 0 appears, it causes the selected computer entry to be stopped. This affects all entries from the simple entry of an aircraft type to a handoff to center. Example: controller wishes to enter the runway assigned to an aircraft. The symbol is 11L, which is typed in and the slew ball is slewed to the aircraft data block followed by enter. If the 0 appears, the entry changes the type of the aircraft to a '11l0.' if the 0 appears when trying to make a handoff to another sector or center, the entry is rejected. Maintenance personnel and the data system specialist have tried an anti-static spray which works for only a few hours. The data system specialist has looked at the controllers' shoes, their clothing (cotton vs nylon), WX conditions, and cannot find a remedy. The frustration level is high when a controller continuously gets these 0's, training progress is slowed because the trnees don't often find that the entries did not work, incorrect information can be entered, possible airspace incursions occur if the handoffs are not completed in a timely manner. At this time, the facility management is aware of the problem but no effort other than carpet spraying and talking about it is being done. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated problem only occurs on 3 of 5 radar scopes. It occurs to 2 particular controllers more than others. The data system specialist has verified the problem. A bonding strap has been placed on the problem radar scopes. This reduced the # of occurrences, but the problem is still ongoing. A ucr has been filed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EQUIPMENT PROBLEM RADAR ARTS 3A.

Narrative: I BELIEVE THAT AN UNSAFE CONDITION EXISTS AT THIS FAA FAC BECAUSE OF ERRATIC AND UNEXPLAINABLE 0'S WHICH APPEAR ON THE RADAR SCOPES WHEN CTLRS ARE MAKING ENTRIES. I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROB SINCE 10/90. AT FIRST ONLY A FEW 0'S WOULD APPEAR. NOW AT TIMES THEY APPEAR WITH ALMOST EVERY TENTH ENTRY. NOT ALL AIR TFC CTLRS ARE BOTHERED WITH THIS PROB. THE PROB IS, WHEN THE 0 APPEARS, IT CAUSES THE SELECTED COMPUTER ENTRY TO BE STOPPED. THIS AFFECTS ALL ENTRIES FROM THE SIMPLE ENTRY OF AN ACFT TYPE TO A HDOF TO CENTER. EXAMPLE: CTLR WISHES TO ENTER THE RWY ASSIGNED TO AN ACFT. THE SYMBOL IS 11L, WHICH IS TYPED IN AND THE SLEW BALL IS SLEWED TO THE ACFT DATA BLOCK FOLLOWED BY ENTER. IF THE 0 APPEARS, THE ENTRY CHANGES THE TYPE OF THE ACFT TO A '11L0.' IF THE 0 APPEARS WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A HDOF TO ANOTHER SECTOR OR CENTER, THE ENTRY IS REJECTED. MAINT PERSONNEL AND THE DATA SYS SPECIALIST HAVE TRIED AN ANTI-STATIC SPRAY WHICH WORKS FOR ONLY A FEW HRS. THE DATA SYS SPECIALIST HAS LOOKED AT THE CTLRS' SHOES, THEIR CLOTHING (COTTON VS NYLON), WX CONDITIONS, AND CANNOT FIND A REMEDY. THE FRUSTRATION LEVEL IS HIGH WHEN A CTLR CONTINUOUSLY GETS THESE 0'S, TRNING PROGRESS IS SLOWED BECAUSE THE TRNEES DON'T OFTEN FIND THAT THE ENTRIES DID NOT WORK, INCORRECT INFO CAN BE ENTERED, POSSIBLE AIRSPACE INCURSIONS OCCUR IF THE HDOFS ARE NOT COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER. AT THIS TIME, THE FAC MGMNT IS AWARE OF THE PROB BUT NO EFFORT OTHER THAN CARPET SPRAYING AND TALKING ABOUT IT IS BEING DONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED PROB ONLY OCCURS ON 3 OF 5 RADAR SCOPES. IT OCCURS TO 2 PARTICULAR CTLRS MORE THAN OTHERS. THE DATA SYS SPECIALIST HAS VERIFIED THE PROB. A BONDING STRAP HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE PROB RADAR SCOPES. THIS REDUCED THE # OF OCCURRENCES, BUT THE PROB IS STILL ONGOING. A UCR HAS BEEN FILED.

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.