A cable cut for the buec situation near hbg caused a communications problem below 4000 ft at ZHU.

Attributes
ACN	351038
Time
Date	199610
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hbg
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	351038
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Due to a cable cut, communications in the hattiesburg area were non existent. Our backup system (buec) site is located about 50 mi away. We were unable to communicate with aircraft at or below 5000 ft, and we have limited to no radar capabilities at or below 4000 ft. This cable cut occurred the day before so at least 3 shifts were having many sits like above which we could not get aircraft on their way due to communications and radar reliability. A simple solution would be to install a buec site for 126.8 at one of the 4 hattiesburg area airports, preferably pib.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CABLE CUT FOR THE BUEC SIT NEAR HBG CAUSED A COMS PROB BELOW 4000 FT AT ZHU.

Narrative: DUE TO A CABLE CUT, COMS IN THE HATTIESBURG AREA WERE NON EXISTENT. OUR BACKUP SYS (BUEC) SITE IS LOCATED ABOUT 50 MI AWAY. WE WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ACFT AT OR BELOW 5000 FT, AND WE HAVE LIMITED TO NO RADAR CAPABILITIES AT OR BELOW 4000 FT. THIS CABLE CUT OCCURRED THE DAY BEFORE SO AT LEAST 3 SHIFTS WERE HAVING MANY SITS LIKE ABOVE WHICH WE COULD NOT GET ACFT ON THEIR WAY DUE TO COMS AND RADAR RELIABILITY. A SIMPLE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO INSTALL A BUEC SITE FOR 126.8 AT ONE OF THE 4 HATTIESBURG AREA ARPTS, PREFERABLY PIB.

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.