ATC equipment problem radio frequency 118 pt 55 failed. Buec unusable. Back-up frequency OTS.

Attributes
ACN	288665
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla
State Reference	CA
Environment
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	288665
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

At approximately XA45 pm the main transmitter 118.55 baldwin hills site failed. I switched to buec, but the receiver was too garbled to understand pilots. I switched to standby's but the receivers were OTS. We have a palmdale site, but it is unusable below 150000 ft. The sector was extremely busy, and I almost had an operational error. I have reported 118.55 OTS or unusable every day I have worked sector 18 during the last 6 yrs. Neither me nor my teammates can remember any day the frequency worked properly since it was changed from 124.2 6 yrs ago. We have reported it to our supervisor each time. I am invoking article 65 of the natcaa/FAA contract and will refuse to work sector 18 until the frequency is fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADIO FREQ 118 PT 55 FAILED. BUEC UNUSABLE. BACK-UP FREQ OTS.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA45 PM THE MAIN XMITTER 118.55 BALDWIN HILLS SITE FAILED. I SWITCHED TO BUEC, BUT THE RECEIVER WAS TOO GARBLED TO UNDERSTAND PLTS. I SWITCHED TO STANDBY'S BUT THE RECEIVERS WERE OTS. WE HAVE A PALMDALE SITE, BUT IT IS UNUSABLE BELOW 150000 FT. THE SECTOR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, AND I ALMOST HAD AN OPERATIONAL ERROR. I HAVE RPTED 118.55 OTS OR UNUSABLE EVERY DAY I HAVE WORKED SECTOR 18 DURING THE LAST 6 YRS. NEITHER ME NOR MY TEAMMATES CAN REMEMBER ANY DAY THE FREQ WORKED PROPERLY SINCE IT WAS CHANGED FROM 124.2 6 YRS AGO. WE HAVE RPTED IT TO OUR SUPVR EACH TIME. I AM INVOKING ARTICLE 65 OF THE NATCAA/FAA CONTRACT AND WILL REFUSE TO WORK SECTOR 18 UNTIL THE FREQ IS FIXED.

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.