Narrative:

All radar position in TRACON receive some sort of interference that lasts from 10 to 15 seconds several times a day. They may occur in intervals of several, one right after the other, to once or twice a day. The interference is a loud static/tone noise. It blocks out radio communication which is vital to aviation safety. This noise also is painful when it occurs since all position are on headsets. However, the noise does come through speakers in the TRACON if certain frequencys are not selected. Supplemental information from acn 252322: in numerous cases at or about XX00 local time almost all of our frequencys have been subject to some kind of interruption due to static. This has been going on for about 1 month and at this time no one has any idea what the cause is. The aircraft are not receiving the break-up on their end nor are other facilities within 12 mi of us. I would like someone to call our facility and check on this problem to let management know that an outside source is aware of the problem. Callback conversation with facility revealed the following information: call to facility revealed that this has been an ongoing problem for approximately a yr. Airway facilities has attempted to track down the cause, but have not been successful so far. No ucr filed. It stopped for a while, but started up again last week. Sometimes the interference is on all frequencys, and sometimes only on VHF. It lasts from 3 to 10 seconds. No incidents reported yet.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNKNOWN FREQ INTERFERENCE CAUSES STATIC AT AIR TFC FACILITY.

Narrative: ALL RADAR POS IN TRACON RECEIVE SOME SORT OF INTERFERENCE THAT LASTS FROM 10 TO 15 SECONDS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. THEY MAY OCCUR IN INTERVALS OF SEVERAL, ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER, TO ONCE OR TWICE A DAY. THE INTERFERENCE IS A LOUD STATIC/TONE NOISE. IT BLOCKS OUT RADIO COM WHICH IS VITAL TO AVIATION SAFETY. THIS NOISE ALSO IS PAINFUL WHEN IT OCCURS SINCE ALL POS ARE ON HEADSETS. HOWEVER, THE NOISE DOES COME THROUGH SPEAKERS IN THE TRACON IF CERTAIN FREQS ARE NOT SELECTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 252322: IN NUMEROUS CASES AT OR ABOUT XX00 LCL TIME ALMOST ALL OF OUR FREQS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO SOME KIND OF INTERRUPTION DUE TO STATIC. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 1 MONTH AND AT THIS TIME NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA WHAT THE CAUSE IS. THE ACFT ARE NOT RECEIVING THE BREAK-UP ON THEIR END NOR ARE OTHER FACILITIES WITHIN 12 MI OF US. I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO CALL OUR FACILITY AND CHK ON THIS PROB TO LET MGMNT KNOW THAT AN OUTSIDE SOURCE IS AWARE OF THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FACILITY REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CALL TO FACILITY REVEALED THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROB FOR APPROX A YR. AIRWAY FACILITIES HAS ATTEMPTED TO TRACK DOWN THE CAUSE, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR. NO UCR FILED. IT STOPPED FOR A WHILE, BUT STARTED UP AGAIN LAST WK. SOMETIMES THE INTERFERENCE IS ON ALL FREQS, AND SOMETIMES ONLY ON VHF. IT LASTS FROM 3 TO 10 SECONDS. NO INCIDENTS RPTED YET.

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.