ATC equipment problem communication. Loss of all frequencys at position.

Attributes
ACN	243549
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zny
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	243549
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Lately, we (ny TRACON ewr sector) have been experiencing partial and total frequency failures. Today we experienced total transmitter failures on all frequencys. We need more reliable equipment and backups which are not located at the same site as the main equipment. Portable, tunable equipment should be made available to all sectors for such emergencys. With the amount of traffic in the ny area, we cannot afford to be caught without an available frequency. Callback conversation with quality assurance officer revealed the following information: quality assurance officer was contacted to discuss lack of portable gonset's at the sector. He stated they are not provided because of limited range. The supervisor knew the backup frequency was out and had another frequency available at the position. The controller said the primary frequency was working fine. The frequency had been available at the position 35 mins prior to frequency loss.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM. LOSS OF ALL FREQS AT POS.

Narrative: LATELY, WE (NY TRACON EWR SECTOR) HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PARTIAL AND TOTAL FREQ FAILURES. TODAY WE EXPERIENCED TOTAL XMITTER FAILURES ON ALL FREQS. WE NEED MORE RELIABLE EQUIP AND BACKUPS WHICH ARE NOT LOCATED AT THE SAME SITE AS THE MAIN EQUIP. PORTABLE, TUNABLE EQUIP SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL SECTORS FOR SUCH EMERS. WITH THE AMOUNT OF TFC IN THE NY AREA, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE CAUGHT WITHOUT AN AVAILABLE FREQ. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER WAS CONTACTED TO DISCUSS LACK OF PORTABLE GONSET'S AT THE SECTOR. HE STATED THEY ARE NOT PROVIDED BECAUSE OF LIMITED RANGE. THE SUPVR KNEW THE BACKUP FREQ WAS OUT AND HAD ANOTHER FREQ AVAILABLE AT THE POS. THE CTLR SAID THE PRIMARY FREQ WAS WORKING FINE. THE FREQ HAD BEEN AVAILABLE AT THE POS 35 MINS PRIOR TO FREQ LOSS.

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.