Narrative:

At XA41 the sjt ASR-9 radar would not transfer to emergency backup with thunderstorms in the area. XA53 engine generator was manually started from sjt. XB27 radar sweep slowed due to electrical power failure. XC30 radar sweep slowed due to electrical power surge. XC33 sweep slowed and short loss of WX radar return. XC40 sweep slowed. XC43 sweep slowed. XC46 lost WX radar, sweep slowed twice. XC52 lost WX radar return. XC57 sweep slowed twice. XD00 ASR-9 OTS due to unreliability. XE44 ASR-9 rts. These types of problems are nothing new in midland. I consider this a major problem and not one that only occurs during adverse WX conditions. The telephone lines that are used to remote the radar from san angelo to midland seem to be the problem. Or at least this is what our technicians blame the problem on. I am not an engineer or a technician and do not know what it would take to fix this problem, but as a controller this problem is very severe and during busy traffic could be catastrophic to the flying public. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility supervisor stated that the facility does have problems with the telephone lines between sjt and maf. Standby power is brought on line at sjt to power ASR-9 because of not being able to bring standby power up because of telephone lines during adverse WX conditions. All data radios and radar are brought into the facilities from sjt on a single line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-9 UNRELIABLE DURING ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: AT XA41 THE SJT ASR-9 RADAR WOULD NOT TRANSFER TO EMER BACKUP WITH TSTMS IN THE AREA. XA53 ENG GENERATOR WAS MANUALLY STARTED FROM SJT. XB27 RADAR SWEEP SLOWED DUE TO ELECTRICAL PWR FAILURE. XC30 RADAR SWEEP SLOWED DUE TO ELECTRICAL PWR SURGE. XC33 SWEEP SLOWED AND SHORT LOSS OF WX RADAR RETURN. XC40 SWEEP SLOWED. XC43 SWEEP SLOWED. XC46 LOST WX RADAR, SWEEP SLOWED TWICE. XC52 LOST WX RADAR RETURN. XC57 SWEEP SLOWED TWICE. XD00 ASR-9 OTS DUE TO UNRELIABILITY. XE44 ASR-9 RTS. THESE TYPES OF PROBS ARE NOTHING NEW IN MIDLAND. I CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR PROB AND NOT ONE THAT ONLY OCCURS DURING ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. THE TELEPHONE LINES THAT ARE USED TO REMOTE THE RADAR FROM SAN ANGELO TO MIDLAND SEEM TO BE THE PROB. OR AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT OUR TECHNICIANS BLAME THE PROB ON. I AM NOT AN ENGINEER OR A TECHNICIAN AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THIS PROB, BUT AS A CTLR THIS PROB IS VERY SEVERE AND DURING BUSY TFC COULD BE CATASTROPHIC TO THE FLYING PUBLIC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY SUPVR STATED THAT THE FACILITY DOES HAVE PROBS WITH THE TELEPHONE LINES BTWN SJT AND MAF. STANDBY PWR IS BROUGHT ON LINE AT SJT TO PWR ASR-9 BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO BRING STANDBY PWR UP BECAUSE OF TELEPHONE LINES DURING ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. ALL DATA RADIOS AND RADAR ARE BROUGHT INTO THE FACILITIES FROM SJT ON A SINGLE LINE.

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.