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ATC equipment problem radar. Mobile emergency radar facility presentation and reliability is inadequate for center needs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 270219 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199405 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : cck |
| State Reference | FL |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 270219 |
| 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:
Over the last several weeks we have had numerous target jumps of up to 5 mi and in all different directions. On may/xx/94 we were totally losing targets for approximately 10-15 mi at altitudes of 6000 up to FL230. Many different types of aircraft have been involved with jets, turbo propeller, and general aviation included. It is my belief that the radar site put in place after hurricane andrew is inadequate and a new radar should be a priority for the south florida area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the radar site with the problem is the mobile emergency radar facility (merf) at the old cook radar site that was destroyed in a hurricane in 1992. Target jumping starts to happen when the radar gets overheated. Fll ASR-9 has been remoted to the center but is used only as a backup if the merf fails. New replacement radar is over 2 years away.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR. MOBILE EMER RADAR FACILITY PRESENTATION AND RELIABILITY IS INADEQUATE FOR CTR NEEDS.
Narrative: OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS TARGET JUMPS OF UP TO 5 MI AND IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. ON MAY/XX/94 WE WERE TOTALLY LOSING TARGETS FOR APPROX 10-15 MI AT ALTITUDES OF 6000 UP TO FL230. MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACFT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH JETS, TURBO PROP, AND GENERAL AVIATION INCLUDED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE RADAR SITE PUT IN PLACE AFTER HURRICANE ANDREW IS INADEQUATE AND A NEW RADAR SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE S FLORIDA AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE RADAR SITE WITH THE PROB IS THE MOBILE EMER RADAR FACILITY (MERF) AT THE OLD COOK RADAR SITE THAT WAS DESTROYED IN A HURRICANE IN 1992. TARGET JUMPING STARTS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE RADAR GETS OVERHEATED. FLL ASR-9 HAS BEEN REMOTED TO THE CTR BUT IS USED ONLY AS A BACKUP IF THE MERF FAILS. NEW REPLACEMENT RADAR IS OVER 2 YEARS AWAY.
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.