Narrative:

I was working the san angelo approach position of midland approach control on may/X/94. I was working with an ASR-9 radar system. There were 4 aircraft under my control. Moderate turbulence had been reported by 2 aircraft and level 1-3 thunderstorms in our airspace. Most aircraft were deviating for WX. With no warning the WX display (on the ASR-9) and the direct line to san angelo tower ceased functioning. We tried to change radar channels to see if it had any effect on the problem. The radar control panel was not responding to our input. No alarms went off and the radar control panel did not indicate any problems. When our maintenance people checked the system out they said the problem is in a phone line leased from mci. They could do nothing to correct the problem except call mci. After mci started work on the system, we lost 3 or our 4 radio frequencys with no notice given then either. This radar system is very unreliable. It seems the major problems are created from sending the radar and radio information over 100 mi via non-dedicated phone lines. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this problem has been ongoing since nov/93 when sjt approach was remoted to maf. All radar date and remote transmitters and receivers are brought in by telephone lines. Backup transmitter and receiver are brought in on the same line, so if the telephone line fails, communication is not possible. Phone company has told the facility fiberoptic lines will solve the problem and they are being installed. Ucr's have been filed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-9 AND COM BECAUSE OF TELEPHONE LINES.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE SAN ANGELO APCH POS OF MIDLAND APCH CTL ON MAY/X/94. I WAS WORKING WITH AN ASR-9 RADAR SYS. THERE WERE 4 ACFT UNDER MY CTL. MODERATE TURB HAD BEEN RPTED BY 2 ACFT AND LEVEL 1-3 TSTMS IN OUR AIRSPACE. MOST ACFT WERE DEVIATING FOR WX. WITH NO WARNING THE WX DISPLAY (ON THE ASR-9) AND THE DIRECT LINE TO SAN ANGELO TWR CEASED FUNCTIONING. WE TRIED TO CHANGE RADAR CHANNELS TO SEE IF IT HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE PROB. THE RADAR CTL PANEL WAS NOT RESPONDING TO OUR INPUT. NO ALARMS WENT OFF AND THE RADAR CTL PANEL DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBS. WHEN OUR MAINT PEOPLE CHKED THE SYS OUT THEY SAID THE PROB IS IN A PHONE LINE LEASED FROM MCI. THEY COULD DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROB EXCEPT CALL MCI. AFTER MCI STARTED WORK ON THE SYS, WE LOST 3 OR OUR 4 RADIO FREQS WITH NO NOTICE GIVEN THEN EITHER. THIS RADAR SYS IS VERY UNRELIABLE. IT SEEMS THE MAJOR PROBS ARE CREATED FROM SENDING THE RADAR AND RADIO INFO OVER 100 MI VIA NON-DEDICATED PHONE LINES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE NOV/93 WHEN SJT APCH WAS REMOTED TO MAF. ALL RADAR DATE AND REMOTE XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS ARE BROUGHT IN BY TELEPHONE LINES. BACKUP XMITTER AND RECEIVER ARE BROUGHT IN ON THE SAME LINE, SO IF THE TELEPHONE LINE FAILS, COM IS NOT POSSIBLE. PHONE COMPANY HAS TOLD THE FACILITY FIBEROPTIC LINES WILL SOLVE THE PROB AND THEY ARE BEING INSTALLED. UCR'S HAVE BEEN FILED.

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.