Narrative:

ASR-9 radar at Y90 (bdl approach) has had 4 outages within past week. First occurrence was on mar/thu/96 at approximately XX10 local. Initially there was a loss of both radar and radio, radios returned approximately 1 min after outage. Radar returned about 7-9 mins after outage utilizing cenrap (center radar). 2 other times generator did not come on line causing radar outages. Rumor is that squirrels are disrupting the commercial power. Also a continuing problem with the mode south program causes difficulty in tracking targets in the cenrap mode. Ghosting of targets continues to be a problem on occasion, but the biggest concern is the reliability of the radar system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that the reason for the commercial power failures were the result of the utility company brown outs. He said that the backup generator is now on-line. He was told by maintenance that a bad solenoid had been replaced in the generator and indicated that there have been no problems with it in the last 3 weeks since it was repaired.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THERE HAVE BEEN 4 RADAR OUTAGES WITHIN A WK. IN 2 OF THESE INSTANCES THE STANDBY GENERATOR DID NOT COME ON-LINE AFTER COMMERCIAL PWR WAS DISRUPTED.

Narrative: ASR-9 RADAR AT Y90 (BDL APCH) HAS HAD 4 OUTAGES WITHIN PAST WK. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS ON MAR/THU/96 AT APPROX XX10 LCL. INITIALLY THERE WAS A LOSS OF BOTH RADAR AND RADIO, RADIOS RETURNED APPROX 1 MIN AFTER OUTAGE. RADAR RETURNED ABOUT 7-9 MINS AFTER OUTAGE UTILIZING CENRAP (CTR RADAR). 2 OTHER TIMES GENERATOR DID NOT COME ON LINE CAUSING RADAR OUTAGES. RUMOR IS THAT SQUIRRELS ARE DISRUPTING THE COMMERCIAL PWR. ALSO A CONTINUING PROB WITH THE MODE S PROGRAM CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN TRACKING TARGETS IN THE CENRAP MODE. GHOSTING OF TARGETS CONTINUES TO BE A PROB ON OCCASION, BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE RELIABILITY OF THE RADAR SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT THE REASON FOR THE COMMERCIAL PWR FAILURES WERE THE RESULT OF THE UTILITY COMPANY BROWN OUTS. HE SAID THAT THE BACKUP GENERATOR IS NOW ON-LINE. HE WAS TOLD BY MAINT THAT A BAD SOLENOID HAD BEEN REPLACED IN THE GENERATOR AND INDICATED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBS WITH IT IN THE LAST 3 WKS SINCE IT WAS REPAIRED.

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.