Narrative:

The stvs was installed at mcn RAPCON on or about dec/fri/95. Since the installation the stvs (small tower voice system) has never performed at the level necessary to ensure the integrity of the ATC system, nor has it performed at the level needed to ensure the safety of the flying public. The local facility management and the local natca officials have endeavored to bring this hazard to a satisfactory resolution. The air traffic controller work force has been very accommodating in their efforts to sidestep these problems. An additional problem of the stvs system is whenever the headset is selected, transmission from aircraft will jump to the loudspeaker. This has resulted in missed xmissions from aircraft, especially when acknowledgements are required to ensure separation of air traffic. This jump to the loudspeaker has become so common it is no longer entered into the daily record of facility operation (FAA form 7230-4). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem with the stvs still exists and that the manufacturer has acknowledged the problem. The reporter said the equipment locks up after landline use to adjacent facilities from an associate position, and in order to clear it, requires the controller to randomly strike keys on the keyboard, have maintenance reset it or let it reset itself after a period time. He indicated that when aircraft xmissions jump from the headset to the speaker, the controller has to click the microphone several times to reset the system. The reporter stated that the equipment has not been commissioned/signed off by the facility manager as a result of the problems associated with it. He also stated that he was informed by the facility atm that regional office has stopped installing the equipment at other facilities until the bugs are out of the system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATED THE STVS WORKING PERFORMANCE IS NOT AT NECESSARY LEVEL TO ENSURE INTEGRITY OF ATC SYS. AN ADDITIONAL PROB IS THE JUMPING OF ACFT XMISSIONS FROM THE HEADSET TO THE SPEAKER WHEN THE HEADSET MODE IS SELECTED.

Narrative: THE STVS WAS INSTALLED AT MCN RAPCON ON OR ABOUT DEC/FRI/95. SINCE THE INSTALLATION THE STVS (SMALL TWR VOICE SYS) HAS NEVER PERFORMED AT THE LEVEL NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE ATC SYS, NOR HAS IT PERFORMED AT THE LEVEL NEEDED TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC. THE LCL FACILITY MGMNT AND THE LCL NATCA OFFICIALS HAVE ENDEAVORED TO BRING THIS HAZARD TO A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION. THE AIR TFC CTLR WORK FORCE HAS BEEN VERY ACCOMMODATING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SIDESTEP THESE PROBS. AN ADDITIONAL PROB OF THE STVS SYS IS WHENEVER THE HEADSET IS SELECTED, XMISSION FROM ACFT WILL JUMP TO THE LOUDSPEAKER. THIS HAS RESULTED IN MISSED XMISSIONS FROM ACFT, ESPECIALLY WHEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE SEPARATION OF AIR TFC. THIS JUMP TO THE LOUDSPEAKER HAS BECOME SO COMMON IT IS NO LONGER ENTERED INTO THE DAILY RECORD OF FACILITY OP (FAA FORM 7230-4). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB WITH THE STVS STILL EXISTS AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROB. THE RPTR SAID THE EQUIP LOCKS UP AFTER LANDLINE USE TO ADJACENT FACILITIES FROM AN ASSOCIATE POS, AND IN ORDER TO CLR IT, REQUIRES THE CTLR TO RANDOMLY STRIKE KEYS ON THE KEYBOARD, HAVE MAINT RESET IT OR LET IT RESET ITSELF AFTER A PERIOD TIME. HE INDICATED THAT WHEN ACFT XMISSIONS JUMP FROM THE HEADSET TO THE SPEAKER, THE CTLR HAS TO CLICK THE MIKE SEVERAL TIMES TO RESET THE SYS. THE RPTR STATED THAT THE EQUIP HAS NOT BEEN COMMISSIONED/SIGNED OFF BY THE FACILITY MGR AS A RESULT OF THE PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS INFORMED BY THE FACILITY ATM THAT REGIONAL OFFICE HAS STOPPED INSTALLING THE EQUIP AT OTHER FACILITIES UNTIL THE BUGS ARE OUT OF THE SYS.

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.