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ATC equipment problem communication. New small tower voice switch communication system volume control too low at individual positions of operation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 275635 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199406 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pfn |
| State Reference | FL |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pdx |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : ground |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| ASRS Report | 275635 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Panama city tower is equipped with the stvs (small tower voice switch) communications system. This system has numerous deficiencies one being the entire system must be shut down to replace a 'card.' this design flaw is unacceptable and creates potential problems for controllers. On jun/xx/94 the stvs had to be shut down twice. By FAA airways facility personnel to change cards. Until this problem is fixed I feel maintenance to the stvs should be performed while the ATC facility is closed, 2200-0600 for panama city, fl, and not during regular tower hours. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: tower supervisor stated the small tower voice switch communication system was installed at pfn 6 months ago. This is the first system of a new generation of communication system for tower's. The system had problems from the start but have been corrected except for 1 last problem. The incoming radio volume at individual positions of operation is too low. FAA says the volume cannot be raised because of osha standards.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM. NEW SMALL TWR VOICE SWITCH COM SYS VOLUME CTL TOO LOW AT INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS OF OP.
Narrative: PANAMA CITY TWR IS EQUIPPED WITH THE STVS (SMALL TWR VOICE SWITCH) COMS SYS. THIS SYS HAS NUMEROUS DEFICIENCIES ONE BEING THE ENTIRE SYS MUST BE SHUT DOWN TO REPLACE A 'CARD.' THIS DESIGN FLAW IS UNACCEPTABLE AND CREATES POTENTIAL PROBS FOR CTLRS. ON JUN/XX/94 THE STVS HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN TWICE. BY FAA AIRWAYS FACILITY PERSONNEL TO CHANGE CARDS. UNTIL THIS PROB IS FIXED I FEEL MAINT TO THE STVS SHOULD BE PERFORMED WHILE THE ATC FACILITY IS CLOSED, 2200-0600 FOR PANAMA CITY, FL, AND NOT DURING REGULAR TWR HRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TWR SUPVR STATED THE SMALL TWR VOICE SWITCH COM SYS WAS INSTALLED AT PFN 6 MONTHS AGO. THIS IS THE FIRST SYS OF A NEW GENERATION OF COM SYS FOR TWR'S. THE SYS HAD PROBS FROM THE START BUT HAVE BEEN CORRECTED EXCEPT FOR 1 LAST PROB. THE INCOMING RADIO VOLUME AT INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS OF OP IS TOO LOW. FAA SAYS THE VOLUME CANNOT BE RAISED BECAUSE OF OSHA STANDARDS.
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.