NOTAM confusion reference operating status of VOR.

Attributes
ACN	243121
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 310
ASRS Report	243121
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Appleton VORTAC (116.7 ape) has ever since I've been flying in this area had an on and off problems with (approximately) the 260-310 degree radials below 6000 ft. Recently ape was flight checked and notamed OTS for a week or so. It came back with the often heard 'radials 260-310 degrees (or so) unusable below 6000 ft.' but, the ape became fully functional. The people who put out the first (unusable) NOTAM for ape put out another 'ape 260-310 degree radials usable below 6000 ft.' here's where the fun began. It was MVFR-lifr all week, and when duat gave me the usable NOTAM, I called FSS to double-check it wasn't a mistake. Well, one briefer said the NOTAM as unusable. I called back and another read usable and said the whole VOR was ok. Then I called cmh clearance and they said that only those radials were in service. This is all very funny, but confusion in the air navigation system, especially without NOTAMS, is and can be serious. What if ape was OTS and people thought it ok? Or if no one could use it but it was ok?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NOTAM CONFUSION REF OPERATING STATUS OF VOR.

Narrative: APPLETON VORTAC (116.7 APE) HAS EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN FLYING IN THIS AREA HAD AN ON AND OFF PROBS WITH (APPROX) THE 260-310 DEG RADIALS BELOW 6000 FT. RECENTLY APE WAS FLT CHKED AND NOTAMED OTS FOR A WK OR SO. IT CAME BACK WITH THE OFTEN HEARD 'RADIALS 260-310 DEGS (OR SO) UNUSABLE BELOW 6000 FT.' BUT, THE APE BECAME FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE PEOPLE WHO PUT OUT THE FIRST (UNUSABLE) NOTAM FOR APE PUT OUT ANOTHER 'APE 260-310 DEG RADIALS USABLE BELOW 6000 FT.' HERE'S WHERE THE FUN BEGAN. IT WAS MVFR-LIFR ALL WK, AND WHEN DUAT GAVE ME THE USABLE NOTAM, I CALLED FSS TO DOUBLE-CHK IT WASN'T A MISTAKE. WELL, ONE BRIEFER SAID THE NOTAM AS UNUSABLE. I CALLED BACK AND ANOTHER READ USABLE AND SAID THE WHOLE VOR WAS OK. THEN I CALLED CMH CLRNC AND THEY SAID THAT ONLY THOSE RADIALS WERE IN SVC. THIS IS ALL VERY FUNNY, BUT CONFUSION IN THE AIR NAV SYS, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT NOTAMS, IS AND CAN BE SERIOUS. WHAT IF APE WAS OTS AND PEOPLE THOUGHT IT OK? OR IF NO ONE COULD USE IT BUT IT WAS OK?

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.