Air carrier captain complains about loud middle marker at ord.

Attributes
ACN	179621
Time
Date	199105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	179621
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an approach into ord, we passed over the OM and got the needle swing, but no aural tone. I forgot to deselect the marker button, and passing over the MM, I was startled at around 300-400' when the aural tone came on exceptionally loud, as usual. I fumbled around, trying to deselect the marker button at a time when I should have had my full attention on the landing. I deselected it and made an uneventful landing. This has happened to me so many times, I have lost count. If I were the perfect pilot, I would remember to deselect the marker when I do not get the aural on every approach, but it is easy to forget, and we all forget to do it from time to time, especially when the WX is VFR and we are only using the ILS as a backup. The problem with this situation is that it is distracting at one of the most demanding points in the approach, and it is truly distracting! There is no reason why the MM should be so loud. I don't mind an aural warning at that altitude, but why can't the vol be turned down at the transmitter? I have encountered this at either bna or rdu in the takeoff regime, also. Takeoff instructions are to turn to a heading at the MM. I do not select the marker button because once again, the MM is too loud.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT COMPLAINS ABOUT LOUD MIDDLE MARKER AT ORD.

Narrative: ON AN APCH INTO ORD, WE PASSED OVER THE OM AND GOT THE NEEDLE SWING, BUT NO AURAL TONE. I FORGOT TO DESELECT THE MARKER BUTTON, AND PASSING OVER THE MM, I WAS STARTLED AT AROUND 300-400' WHEN THE AURAL TONE CAME ON EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD, AS USUAL. I FUMBLED AROUND, TRYING TO DESELECT THE MARKER BUTTON AT A TIME WHEN I SHOULD HAVE HAD MY FULL ATTN ON THE LNDG. I DESELECTED IT AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SO MANY TIMES, I HAVE LOST COUNT. IF I WERE THE PERFECT PLT, I WOULD REMEMBER TO DESELECT THE MARKER WHEN I DO NOT GET THE AURAL ON EVERY APCH, BUT IT IS EASY TO FORGET, AND WE ALL FORGET TO DO IT FROM TIME TO TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WX IS VFR AND WE ARE ONLY USING THE ILS AS A BACKUP. THE PROB WITH THIS SITUATION IS THAT IT IS DISTRACTING AT ONE OF THE MOST DEMANDING POINTS IN THE APCH, AND IT IS TRULY DISTRACTING! THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE MM SHOULD BE SO LOUD. I DON'T MIND AN AURAL WARNING AT THAT ALT, BUT WHY CAN'T THE VOL BE TURNED DOWN AT THE XMITTER? I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS AT EITHER BNA OR RDU IN THE TKOF REGIME, ALSO. TKOF INSTRUCTIONS ARE TO TURN TO A HDG AT THE MM. I DO NOT SELECT THE MARKER BUTTON BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THE MM IS TOO LOUD.

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.