Controller claims that ASR-9 system goes blank and they lose all targets intermittently.

Attributes
ACN	248681
Time
Date	199308
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Route In Use	enroute airway : cle
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	248681
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Within the last few weeks, we have been having problems with our ASR 9 radar. The scope at times would go blank and lose all targets. A few days ago, they replaced a cable to the antenna site. They stated this would correct our problems. On aug/xx/93, the radar scopes went blank again. Airways facilities are unable to find out what our problem is. We have started to meter traffic to the cleveland airport for safety reasons so as to not overload controllers with aircraft in case the system fails again. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the radar problem has been fixed. Excessive heat at the radar antenna site was the last problem and non grounded cabling the other. Total radar problem time was about 3 weeks. This facility has had the ASR-9 system for approximately 3 yrs with very few problems. Reporter suspects that lack of ASR-9 knowledge by the technicians is the main problem. Reporter says that facility manager received numerous calls from airlines complaining about metering traffic and causing delays.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT ASR-9 SYS GOES BLANK AND THEY LOSE ALL TARGETS INTERMITTENTLY.

Narrative: WITHIN THE LAST FEW WKS, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBS WITH OUR ASR 9 RADAR. THE SCOPE AT TIMES WOULD GO BLANK AND LOSE ALL TARGETS. A FEW DAYS AGO, THEY REPLACED A CABLE TO THE ANTENNA SITE. THEY STATED THIS WOULD CORRECT OUR PROBS. ON AUG/XX/93, THE RADAR SCOPES WENT BLANK AGAIN. AIRWAYS FACILITIES ARE UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR PROB IS. WE HAVE STARTED TO METER TFC TO THE CLEVELAND ARPT FOR SAFETY REASONS SO AS TO NOT OVERLOAD CTLRS WITH ACFT IN CASE THE SYS FAILS AGAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE RADAR PROB HAS BEEN FIXED. EXCESSIVE HEAT AT THE RADAR ANTENNA SITE WAS THE LAST PROB AND NON GNDED CABLING THE OTHER. TOTAL RADAR PROB TIME WAS ABOUT 3 WKS. THIS FACILITY HAS HAD THE ASR-9 SYS FOR APPROX 3 YRS WITH VERY FEW PROBS. RPTR SUSPECTS THAT LACK OF ASR-9 KNOWLEDGE BY THE TECHNICIANS IS THE MAIN PROB. RPTR SAYS THAT FACILITY MGR RECEIVED NUMEROUS CALLS FROM AIRLINES COMPLAINING ABOUT METERING TFC AND CAUSING DELAYS.

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.