Narrative:

The new radio switching system is not understood by the local technicians. On mar/xx/97, during a busy arrival push the frequencys just quit. The controllers had been complaining for 2 days that the radios on sector 7 and 8 were very bad. At XA30 pm local mar/xx/97, they just quit working. The fact that no aircraft lost separation was luck. The agency will respond that safety was never compromised. This is an outright lie. The sector controller receives no indication of a problem. Only when you realize that you are not getting any responses from the aircraft do you realize that you can't communicate with the aircraft. The local technicians will admit that they don't know what caused this problem. This is the third time in 2 days that the vscs has failed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT THE NEWLY INSTALLED RADIO SWITCHING SYS (VSCS) IS NOT UNDERSTOOD BY TECHNICIANS THEREBY CAUSING DELAYS IN REPAIRING THE EQUIP.

Narrative: THE NEW RADIO SWITCHING SYS IS NOT UNDERSTOOD BY THE LCL TECHNICIANS. ON MAR/XX/97, DURING A BUSY ARR PUSH THE FREQS JUST QUIT. THE CTLRS HAD BEEN COMPLAINING FOR 2 DAYS THAT THE RADIOS ON SECTOR 7 AND 8 WERE VERY BAD. AT XA30 PM LCL MAR/XX/97, THEY JUST QUIT WORKING. THE FACT THAT NO ACFT LOST SEPARATION WAS LUCK. THE AGENCY WILL RESPOND THAT SAFETY WAS NEVER COMPROMISED. THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE. THE SECTOR CTLR RECEIVES NO INDICATION OF A PROB. ONLY WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE NOT GETTING ANY RESPONSES FROM THE ACFT DO YOU REALIZE THAT YOU CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THE ACFT. THE LCL TECHNICIANS WILL ADMIT THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS PROB. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN 2 DAYS THAT THE VSCS HAS FAILED.

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.