ATC equipment problem radar ASR-8. Target loss.

Attributes
ACN	268098
Time
Date	199404
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pie
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Route In Use	enroute airway : tpa
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5 controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	268098
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Since the installation of the ASR9 antenna, next to the working ASR8, traffic inbound on the blond arrival do not track. The primary disappears and the beacon target weakens and 'splits.' after the split, the ARTS tag will 'coast' on the north split and a 'splat' will appear on the south split. No position radar is capable until you vector the non-radar aircraft north or south of the ASR9 shadow. Management is mildly concerned, but this arrival procedure crosses almost all major traffic rtes for arrs and departures, and causes a major distraction to the controller. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the problem is ongoing. Maintenance has been unable to correct the problem of loss of targets. Facility procedures have been changed and moved the approach fix 5 mi away so the approach controller can see targets.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-8. TARGET LOSS.

Narrative: SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF THE ASR9 ANTENNA, NEXT TO THE WORKING ASR8, TFC INBOUND ON THE BLOND ARR DO NOT TRACK. THE PRIMARY DISAPPEARS AND THE BEACON TARGET WEAKENS AND 'SPLITS.' AFTER THE SPLIT, THE ARTS TAG WILL 'COAST' ON THE N SPLIT AND A 'SPLAT' WILL APPEAR ON THE S SPLIT. NO POS RADAR IS CAPABLE UNTIL YOU VECTOR THE NON-RADAR ACFT N OR S OF THE ASR9 SHADOW. MGMNT IS MILDLY CONCERNED, BUT THIS ARR PROC CROSSES ALMOST ALL MAJOR TFC RTES FOR ARRS AND DEPS, AND CAUSES A MAJOR DISTR TO THE CTLR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE PROB IS ONGOING. MAINT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB OF LOSS OF TARGETS. FACILITY PROCS HAVE BEEN CHANGED AND MOVED THE APCH FIX 5 MI AWAY SO THE APCH CTLR CAN SEE TARGETS.

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.