ATC equipment problem radio icss local control position 2 frequency transmitter intermittent failure...

Attributes
ACN	265362
Time
Date	199403
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sat
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat tower : sat
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	265362
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	265364
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working the local 2 position several occurrences of 119.8 (local frequency) having a busy signal which would stop the transmission. During a fairly busy hour, this occurrence required several instances where xmissions had to be completely reissued, causing delays to departure traffic. At one point, with traffic on final to both parallels, traffic in position waiting for traffic to clear the local control frequency went completely dead for approximately 1 min, causing me to frantically find the backup gonset which had to be turned before it could be used. This type of event during busy traffic and constant frequency use is extremely hazardous. In my opinion, with traffic to both parallels and usually heavy crossing traffic sits on all runways, the loss of timing because the frequency is not reliable is an operational error or worse waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADIO ICSS LCL CTL POS 2 FREQ XMITTER INTERMITTENT FAILURE.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE LCL 2 POS SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF 119.8 (LCL FREQ) HAVING A BUSY SIGNAL WHICH WOULD STOP THE XMISSION. DURING A FAIRLY BUSY HR, THIS OCCURRENCE REQUIRED SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE XMISSIONS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REISSUED, CAUSING DELAYS TO DEP TFC. AT ONE POINT, WITH TFC ON FINAL TO BOTH PARALLELS, TFC IN POS WAITING FOR TFC TO CLR THE LCL CTL FREQ WENT COMPLETELY DEAD FOR APPROX 1 MIN, CAUSING ME TO FRANTICALLY FIND THE BACKUP GONSET WHICH HAD TO BE TURNED BEFORE IT COULD BE USED. THIS TYPE OF EVENT DURING BUSY TFC AND CONSTANT FREQ USE IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. IN MY OPINION, WITH TFC TO BOTH PARALLELS AND USUALLY HVY XING TFC SITS ON ALL RWYS, THE LOSS OF TIMING BECAUSE THE FREQ IS NOT RELIABLE IS AN OPERROR OR WORSE WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.