Communication equipment at ATC facility is causing intermittent loss of communication.

Attributes
ACN	234360
Time
Date	199302
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke
State Reference	WI
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke tower : roc
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	234360
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

At approximately XX24 I was working the west arrival position at mke ATCT. I had 1 aircraft on my frequency and when I attempted to give him a frequency change I could not transmit on the 2 frequencys I had selected. A moment later they worked again. At approximately XX42 I was again on west arrival working 3 aircraft. I changed jacks to be able to use the foot pedal and then I could not transmit on the 2 frequencys selected. I pushed on the jack to be sure the plug was all the way in and I could transmit again. Moments later the position appeared to 'fail' again and then moments later came back again. We have had numerous similar problems with the icss equipment at mke. The maintenance staff has done everything they can come up with to correct the problem. Apparently it still exists. I don't know what else can be done but this is an extremely dangerous situation, an accident waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM EQUIP AT ATC FACILITY IS CAUSING INTERMITTENT LOSS OF COM.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX24 I WAS WORKING THE W ARR POS AT MKE ATCT. I HAD 1 ACFT ON MY FREQ AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO GIVE HIM A FREQ CHANGE I COULD NOT XMIT ON THE 2 FREQS I HAD SELECTED. A MOMENT LATER THEY WORKED AGAIN. AT APPROX XX42 I WAS AGAIN ON W ARR WORKING 3 ACFT. I CHANGED JACKS TO BE ABLE TO USE THE FOOT PEDAL AND THEN I COULD NOT XMIT ON THE 2 FREQS SELECTED. I PUSHED ON THE JACK TO BE SURE THE PLUG WAS ALL THE WAY IN AND I COULD XMIT AGAIN. MOMENTS LATER THE POS APPEARED TO 'FAIL' AGAIN AND THEN MOMENTS LATER CAME BACK AGAIN. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SIMILAR PROBS WITH THE ICSS EQUIP AT MKE. THE MAINT STAFF HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN COME UP WITH TO CORRECT THE PROB. APPARENTLY IT STILL EXISTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE BUT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SIT, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.