ATC equipment problem new interphone system failed 3 times.

Attributes
ACN	271776
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pfn
State Reference	FL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	271776
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working in the panama city, fl, ATC tower when the stvs (small tower voice switch) went into fail mode 3 times. This system has been in place (operational) for 5 months and remains unreliable. Other problem areas, with the stvs system, are extremely limited volume controls, landline lockouts, limited control of system computer, constant hot microphone with landline selected. FAA airways facilities personnel apparently not properly trained to conduct maintenance or system changes. This system should be evaluated extensively prior to installation in other FAA control towers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB NEW INTERPHONE SYS FAILED 3 TIMES.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING IN THE PANAMA CITY, FL, ATC TWR WHEN THE STVS (SMALL TWR VOICE SWITCH) WENT INTO FAIL MODE 3 TIMES. THIS SYS HAS BEEN IN PLACE (OPERATIONAL) FOR 5 MONTHS AND REMAINS UNRELIABLE. OTHER PROB AREAS, WITH THE STVS SYS, ARE EXTREMELY LIMITED VOLUME CTLS, LANDLINE LOCKOUTS, LIMITED CTL OF SYS COMPUTER, CONSTANT HOT MIKE WITH LANDLINE SELECTED. FAA AIRWAYS FACILITIES PERSONNEL APPARENTLY NOT PROPERLY TRAINED TO CONDUCT MAINT OR SYS CHANGES. THIS SYS SHOULD BE EVALUATED EXTENSIVELY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION IN OTHER FAA CTL TWRS.

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.