ATC equipment problem radar false beacon targets.

Attributes
ACN	197446
Time
Date	199112
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fwa
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	197446
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Uncorrelated target, beacon code XXXX at FL310. Radar sort box 272, track ball coords: 593.875 318.250, 4105N 08537W, FWA289020. False target appears about 4 mi away from a real aircraft. Air carrier X code XXXX at FL310 was handed off to cleveland center. After air carrier X was shipped, target appears in about 7 O'clock position about 4 mi away. Supplemental information from 196982. Intruder target observed on the FWA257035, radar sort box 236 4050N 08557W. Track ball coords 579.625 302.250. Beacon code XXXX altitude FL329. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter stated the false targets are happening in the ZAU logan high altitude sector. The problem has been ucr'd 4 times. FAA has idented the problem, knowed how to fix the problem, but inter-region politics are getting in the way. The problem is from interference from a long range radar site in tennessee with the la grange system for the logan high sector. The story now is they are awaiting frequency management approval.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROBLEM RADAR FALSE BEACON TARGETS.

Narrative: UNCORRELATED TARGET, BEACON CODE XXXX AT FL310. RADAR SORT BOX 272, TRACK BALL COORDS: 593.875 318.250, 4105N 08537W, FWA289020. FALSE TARGET APPEARS ABOUT 4 MI AWAY FROM A REAL ACFT. ACR X CODE XXXX AT FL310 WAS HANDED OFF TO CLEVELAND CENTER. AFTER ACR X WAS SHIPPED, TARGET APPEARS IN ABOUT 7 O'CLOCK POS ABOUT 4 MI AWAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM 196982. INTRUDER TARGET OBSERVED ON THE FWA257035, RADAR SORT BOX 236 4050N 08557W. TRACK BALL COORDS 579.625 302.250. BEACON CODE XXXX ALT FL329. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATED THE FALSE TARGETS ARE HAPPENING IN THE ZAU LOGAN HIGH ALT SECTOR. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN UCR'D 4 TIMES. FAA HAS IDENTED THE PROBLEM, KNOWED HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT INTER-REGION POLITICS ARE GETTING IN THE WAY. THE PROBLEM IS FROM INTERFERENCE FROM A LONG RANGE RADAR SITE IN TENNESSEE WITH THE LA GRANGE SYS FOR THE LOGAN HIGH SECTOR. THE STORY NOW IS THEY ARE AWAITING FREQ MGMNT APPROVAL.

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.