ATC reporter at mwh states that the laser beam ceilometer has been OTS since jan 96. Attempts to rep...

Attributes
ACN	347657
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mwh
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	347657
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Mwh is a limited aviation WX reporting station (lawrs). The laser beam ceilometer has been OTS since jan/96. There is nothing wrong with the equipment. The problem lies with the telephone line that feeds information from the sensor to the gifft recorder. When the FAA changed over to lincs dedicated phone lines, the lines used did not recognize the data as data only, as excess noise on the line. Subsequently, a new line was installed, except it was a 2 pair line and 4 pair is necessary. Had the appropriate technicians that maintain the equipment been consulted this problem would never have occurred. The problem now is we are approaching winter and IFR WX with no means other than a guess or PIREP to determine cloud/ceiling ht. To fix the problem immediately install the appropriate telephone line after first consulting with the local technician. Callback conversation with facility revealed the following information: attempted to call reporter but he was unavailable. A call to the facility confirmed that the laser beam ceilometer is still OTS. A supervisor stated that the heat had been turned up by the facility to restore the laser beam ceilometer, but no date has been set for the repair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RPTR AT MWH STATES THAT THE LASER BEAM CEILOMETER HAS BEEN OTS SINCE JAN 96. ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE WRONG LANDLINES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED TWICE.

Narrative: MWH IS A LIMITED AVIATION WX RPTING STATION (LAWRS). THE LASER BEAM CEILOMETER HAS BEEN OTS SINCE JAN/96. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EQUIP. THE PROB LIES WITH THE TELEPHONE LINE THAT FEEDS INFO FROM THE SENSOR TO THE GIFFT RECORDER. WHEN THE FAA CHANGED OVER TO LINCS DEDICATED PHONE LINES, THE LINES USED DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE DATA AS DATA ONLY, AS EXCESS NOISE ON THE LINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A NEW LINE WAS INSTALLED, EXCEPT IT WAS A 2 PAIR LINE AND 4 PAIR IS NECESSARY. HAD THE APPROPRIATE TECHNICIANS THAT MAINTAIN THE EQUIP BEEN CONSULTED THIS PROB WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. THE PROB NOW IS WE ARE APCHING WINTER AND IFR WX WITH NO MEANS OTHER THAN A GUESS OR PIREP TO DETERMINE CLOUD/CEILING HT. TO FIX THE PROB IMMEDIATELY INSTALL THE APPROPRIATE TELEPHONE LINE AFTER FIRST CONSULTING WITH THE LCL TECHNICIAN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FACILITY REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ATTEMPTED TO CALL RPTR BUT HE WAS UNAVAILABLE. A CALL TO THE FACILITY CONFIRMED THAT THE LASER BEAM CEILOMETER IS STILL OTS. A SUPVR STATED THAT THE HEAT HAD BEEN TURNED UP BY THE FACILITY TO RESTORE THE LASER BEAM CEILOMETER, BUT NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE REPAIR.

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 reporter at mwh states that the laser beam ceilometer has been OTS since jan 96. Attempts to repair have been unsuccessful because the wrong landlines have been installed twice.