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ARTCC radar controllers frequency began to deteriorate while aircraft were deviating around WX. Pilots had difficulty communicating with ATC. A new frequency was selected by the supervisor and coordination completed with adjacent sectors and facilities. Reporter claims that frequency problems have persisted for several months.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 372855 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ztl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl artcc : zmp |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 372855 |
| 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 | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
On jun/sat/97, XA30 pm, I was working the csv sector at ZTL. Several aircraft on frequency with more on the way. We were experiencing aircraft deviating and choppy rides associated with the thunderstorms. I was not very busy until the frequency 126.67 began to malfunction. The pilots began to report a stuck microphone sound between my xmissions. Many wanted an alternate frequency or the next center frequency. This began to snowball, major frequency congestion, aircraft deviating, etc. I had to notify my supervisor to get a new frequency selected, change everyone over to my new frequency and then notify adjacent sectors and facilities. This is a horrible distraction to the pilots and the controller. It also doubles the workload. This problem has persisted for several months on 126.67, 133.1, 127.05 and several other frequencys we use. This is unsafe and causes too much chaos during busy periods. I understand the technicians have been working on a solution but it is too slow coming. We are setting ourselves up for a major problem, after which I'm sure they will fix it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLRS FREQ BEGAN TO DETERIORATE WHILE ACFT WERE DEVIATING AROUND WX. PLTS HAD DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. A NEW FREQ WAS SELECTED BY THE SUPVR AND COORD COMPLETED WITH ADJACENT SECTORS AND FACILITIES. RPTR CLAIMS THAT FREQ PROBS HAVE PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
Narrative: ON JUN/SAT/97, XA30 PM, I WAS WORKING THE CSV SECTOR AT ZTL. SEVERAL ACFT ON FREQ WITH MORE ON THE WAY. WE WERE EXPERIENCING ACFT DEVIATING AND CHOPPY RIDES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TSTMS. I WAS NOT VERY BUSY UNTIL THE FREQ 126.67 BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE PLTS BEGAN TO RPT A STUCK MIKE SOUND BTWN MY XMISSIONS. MANY WANTED AN ALTERNATE FREQ OR THE NEXT CTR FREQ. THIS BEGAN TO SNOWBALL, MAJOR FREQ CONGESTION, ACFT DEVIATING, ETC. I HAD TO NOTIFY MY SUPVR TO GET A NEW FREQ SELECTED, CHANGE EVERYONE OVER TO MY NEW FREQ AND THEN NOTIFY ADJACENT SECTORS AND FACILITIES. THIS IS A HORRIBLE DISTR TO THE PLTS AND THE CTLR. IT ALSO DOUBLES THE WORKLOAD. THIS PROB HAS PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS ON 126.67, 133.1, 127.05 AND SEVERAL OTHER FREQS WE USE. THIS IS UNSAFE AND CAUSES TOO MUCH CHAOS DURING BUSY PERIODS. I UNDERSTAND THE TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A SOLUTION BUT IT IS TOO SLOW COMING. WE ARE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR A MAJOR PROB, AFTER WHICH I'M SURE THEY WILL FIX IT.
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.