Data tag jump to false targets indicated air carrier X had less than standard separation from air carrier Y. Edp alarm. Situation: false targets between the alexander radar site and 25 mi.

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Attributes
ACN	198993
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : idu
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	198993
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

The area around the alexander radar site has become nearly impossible to work due to poor radar data processing causing numerous false targets and loss of targets. Air carrier X and air carrier Y were established 12-14 NM in trail prior to and after crossing over the area yet the rop indicated less than 5 NM at one time because the track 'tagged up' on a series of false targets. In the past, the sort boxes were stratified in this area to try to eliminate most of the problem, but 3-4 months ago the system engineer decided we didn't need this 'patch' anymore and removed it from the processing. Since then we have documented the target problem without any response. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter stated the incident was investigated as a system error. This revealed the radar problem with false targets. The system engineer had removed a patch because of complete loss of targets to ring the alexander radar antenna site. This problem is ongoing. The reporter stated he was told the patch has been reinstalled as of this date. Problem still persists. Reporter stated if problem not solved he will file a ucr.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DATA TAG JUMP TO FALSE TARGETS INDICATED ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. EDP ALARM. SITUATION: FALSE TARGETS BTWN THE ALEXANDER RADAR SITE AND 25 MI.

Narrative: THE AREA AROUND THE ALEXANDER RADAR SITE HAS BECOME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK DUE TO POOR RADAR DATA PROCESSING CAUSING NUMEROUS FALSE TARGETS AND LOSS OF TARGETS. ACR X AND ACR Y WERE ESTABLISHED 12-14 NM IN TRAIL PRIOR TO AND AFTER XING OVER THE AREA YET THE ROP INDICATED LESS THAN 5 NM AT ONE TIME BECAUSE THE TRACK 'TAGGED UP' ON A SERIES OF FALSE TARGETS. IN THE PAST, THE SORT BOXES WERE STRATIFIED IN THIS AREA TO TRY TO ELIMINATE MOST OF THE PROBLEM, BUT 3-4 MONTHS AGO THE SYS ENGINEER DECIDED WE DIDN'T NEED THIS 'PATCH' ANYMORE AND REMOVED IT FROM THE PROCESSING. SINCE THEN WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THE TARGET PROBLEM WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR STATED THE INCIDENT WAS INVESTIGATED AS A SYS ERROR. THIS REVEALED THE RADAR PROBLEM WITH FALSE TARGETS. THE SYS ENGINEER HAD REMOVED A PATCH BECAUSE OF COMPLETE LOSS OF TARGETS TO RING THE ALEXANDER RADAR ANTENNA SITE. THIS PROBLEM IS ONGOING. THE RPTR STATED HE WAS TOLD THE PATCH HAS BEEN REINSTALLED AS OF THIS DATE. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. RPTR STATED IF PROBLEM NOT SOLVED HE WILL FILE A 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.