Narrative:

The merf (mobile en route radar facility) has been in place for over 1 yr now. The equipment is failing more and more often. This combined with a lack of WX radar is making a bad situation worse. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated hurricane knocked out richmond ARSR-3 and it was not replaced. Merf was installed as a temporary fix so ZMA would have radar coverage below 8000 ft in the mia area. Merf is now overheating and has to be shutdown to cool off which leaves the center without radar coverage in the mia area below 8000 ft. Fll ASR-9 has been piped into the center but maintenance is unable to get it to interface properly. New ARSR-4 installation has slipped 2 yrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOBILE ENRTE RADAR FACILITY FAILURE LEAVES CTR WITHOUT RADAR COVERAGE BELOW 8000 FT IN MIA AREA.

Narrative: THE MERF (MOBILE ENRTE RADAR FACILITY) HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 1 YR NOW. THE EQUIP IS FAILING MORE AND MORE OFTEN. THIS COMBINED WITH A LACK OF WX RADAR IS MAKING A BAD SIT WORSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HURRICANE KNOCKED OUT RICHMOND ARSR-3 AND IT WAS NOT REPLACED. MERF WAS INSTALLED AS A TEMPORARY FIX SO ZMA WOULD HAVE RADAR COVERAGE BELOW 8000 FT IN THE MIA AREA. MERF IS NOW OVERHEATING AND HAS TO BE SHUTDOWN TO COOL OFF WHICH LEAVES THE CTR WITHOUT RADAR COVERAGE IN THE MIA AREA BELOW 8000 FT. FLL ASR-9 HAS BEEN PIPED INTO THE CTR BUT MAINT IS UNABLE TO GET IT TO INTERFACE PROPERLY. NEW ARSR-4 INSTALLATION HAS SLIPPED 2 YRS.

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.