Narrative:

The information display system (hereinafter referred to as ids) at mcn RAPCON is configured to receive WX observations from mcn airport and wrb (robins AFB). Prior to the national WX service removing the afos from mcn, the mcn RAPCON received WX with virtually no problem. However since the national WX service has removed the afos a replacement system was created to provide the RAPCON with the WX observations. This replacement system has been riddled with problems. The problems are as follows: 1) WX observations from mcn/wrb not received/updated at all. 2) WX observations from mcn/wrb unreadable/unusable. 3) WX observations delayed up to 15 mins prior to updating ids. 4) WX observations going backwards in time. Additionally, the problems of not being able to provide aircraft, as required, with timely WX information are well known and well documented. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the possible problem with the ids was noise on the telephone company line used to supply WX data from the mcn airport and wrb. He said that there is talk of installing an oid (operations interface device) to read out the WX from mcn airport. He stated there is a discrete display provided by wrb that can display WX data for up to 5 reporting stations which is then manually input to the ids after clearing out the unreadable data. Reporter did not indicate the time required to correct the ids problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATED THE IDS HAS PROBS. WX OBS ARE NOT RECEIVED UPDATED, UNREADABLE UNUSABLE, OR ARE DELAYED PRIOR TO UPDATING.

Narrative: THE INFO DISPLAY SYS (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS IDS) AT MCN RAPCON IS CONFIGURED TO RECEIVE WX OBSERVATIONS FROM MCN ARPT AND WRB (ROBINS AFB). PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL WX SVC REMOVING THE AFOS FROM MCN, THE MCN RAPCON RECEIVED WX WITH VIRTUALLY NO PROB. HOWEVER SINCE THE NATIONAL WX SVC HAS REMOVED THE AFOS A REPLACEMENT SYS WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE THE RAPCON WITH THE WX OBSERVATIONS. THIS REPLACEMENT SYS HAS BEEN RIDDLED WITH PROBS. THE PROBS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) WX OBSERVATIONS FROM MCN/WRB NOT RECEIVED/UPDATED AT ALL. 2) WX OBSERVATIONS FROM MCN/WRB UNREADABLE/UNUSABLE. 3) WX OBSERVATIONS DELAYED UP TO 15 MINS PRIOR TO UPDATING IDS. 4) WX OBSERVATIONS GOING BACKWARDS IN TIME. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROBS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ACFT, AS REQUIRED, WITH TIMELY WX INFO ARE WELL KNOWN AND WELL DOCUMENTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE POSSIBLE PROB WITH THE IDS WAS NOISE ON THE TELCO LINE USED TO SUPPLY WX DATA FROM THE MCN ARPT AND WRB. HE SAID THAT THERE IS TALK OF INSTALLING AN OID (OPS INTERFACE DEVICE) TO READ OUT THE WX FROM MCN ARPT. HE STATED THERE IS A DISCRETE DISPLAY PROVIDED BY WRB THAT CAN DISPLAY WX DATA FOR UP TO 5 RPTING STATIONS WHICH IS THEN MANUALLY INPUT TO THE IDS AFTER CLRING OUT THE UNREADABLE DATA. RPTR DID NOT INDICATE THE TIME REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE IDS PROB.

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.