ATC equipment problem radio loss of frequency transmitter for 2 hours at rbl site.

Attributes
ACN	262615
Time
Date	199402
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbl
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	262615
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

On feb/xx/94, the rbl ch 25/uki ch 20 transmitter failed to operate between aprox xaoo hours and XB50 hours (local). I checked the frequency select, transmitter select and to use other headset jacks -- still the transmitters would not operate. At this point, about 10 mins had elapsed with no communication with the acfts concerned ( I was working approximately 12 aircraft, 7 of which were on second 36 (rbl frequency). These aircraft needed control instructions and could not receive them. We finally got the aircraft onto second 35 frequencys, but still could not talk tot he aircraft at or below FL290 until they were within range of haf./qqb transmitters (150 mi north of pye). This situation caused by the unsatisfactory performance of the second 36 frequencys, particularly the rbl transmitter, created a period of potentially unsafe/hazardous ATC operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADIO LOSS OF FREQ XMITTER FOR 2 HRS AT RBL SITE.

Narrative: ON FEB/XX/94, THE RBL CH 25/UKI CH 20 XMITTER FAILED TO OPERATE BTWN APROX XAOO HRS AND XB50 HRS (LCL). I CHECKED THE FREQ SELECT, XMITTER SELECT AND TO USE OTHER HEADSET JACKS -- STILL THE XMITTERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. AT THIS POINT, ABOUT 10 MINS HAD ELAPSED WITH NO COM WITH THE ACFTS CONCERNED ( I WAS WORKING APPROX 12 ACFT, 7 OF WHICH WERE ON SEC 36 (RBL FREQ). THESE ACFT NEEDED CTL INSTRUCTIONS AND COULD NOT RECEIVE THEM. WE FINALLY GOT THE ACFT ONTO SEC 35 FREQS, BUT STILL COULD NOT TALK TOT HE ACFT AT OR BELOW FL290 UNTIL THEY WERE WITHIN RANGE OF HAF./QQB XMITTERS (150 MI N OF PYE). THIS SIT CAUSED BY THE UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE OF THE SEC 36 FREQS, PARTICULARLY THE RBL XMITTER, CREATED A PERIOD OF POTENTIALLY UNSAFE/HAZARDOUS ATC OPS.

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.