ATC specialist reports a one hour and 20 min radar outage due to video compression. Reporter alleges...

Attributes
ACN	340407
Time
Date	199607
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ggg
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5 controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 3 flight time total : 90
ASRS Report	340407
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Radar went down for 1 hour and 20 mins due to video compression unit failure. These radar failures are becoming much too frequent, and needs serious attention. We have had numerous radar changes and been very lucky we have had no major air traffic problems. If we do not get this problem with the radar corrected, some day we might have serious problems. I am very concerned about this matter. We already work under stressful conditions, and when the radar goes out, this just doubles the amount of stress put on a person. Callback conversation with TRACON supervisor revealed the following information: analyst was unable to contact reporter but a supervisor at the TRACON stated that the facility was upgraded from an ASR-4 to an ASR-8 approximately one yr ago. He believes the system works fine except for some data line problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC SPECIALIST RPTS A ONE HR AND 20 MIN RADAR OUTAGE DUE TO VIDEO COMPRESSION. RPTR ALLEGES THAT THE OUTAGES ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT, BUT SO FAR NO MAJOR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED.

Narrative: RADAR WENT DOWN FOR 1 HR AND 20 MINS DUE TO VIDEO COMPRESSION UNIT FAILURE. THESE RADAR FAILURES ARE BECOMING MUCH TOO FREQUENT, AND NEEDS SERIOUS ATTN. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS RADAR CHANGES AND BEEN VERY LUCKY WE HAVE HAD NO MAJOR AIR TFC PROBS. IF WE DO NOT GET THIS PROB WITH THE RADAR CORRECTED, SOME DAY WE MIGHT HAVE SERIOUS PROBS. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS MATTER. WE ALREADY WORK UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS, AND WHEN THE RADAR GOES OUT, THIS JUST DOUBLES THE AMOUNT OF STRESS PUT ON A PERSON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH TRACON SUPVR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT RPTR BUT A SUPVR AT THE TRACON STATED THAT THE FACILITY WAS UPGRADED FROM AN ASR-4 TO AN ASR-8 APPROX ONE YR AGO. HE BELIEVES THE SYS WORKS FINE EXCEPT FOR SOME DATA LINE PROBS.

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.

ATC specialist reports a one hour and 20 min radar outage due to video compression. Reporter alleges that the outages are becoming more frequent, but so far no major incidents have occurred.