Narrative:

ZTL north departure sector. At approximately XA31Z on aug/xa/97, I was working a departure push at combined sectors. Our frequency 133.1, 127.05 are used at this sector as it is a combined low, ultra low sector. There is a backup 132.67 also available. At XA31 with several aircraft on frequency, the frequency erupted with static that started on 133.1 then skipped to 127.05 after 1-2 mins. It then skipped to 132.67 that I was trying to use. After 132.67 it then skipped back to 127.05 then back to 133.1 always after 2-3 mins, and I transitioned aircraft back and forth several times. This situation is extremely dangerous and has been ongoing for several weeks. This sector is very complex with coordination with 3 atl sectors, 8 ZTL sectors, 1 cha, 2 tys sectors to deal with. It is very unsafe to work this sector as is -- it is an accident waiting to happen. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the static problem primarily involves reporter's sector frequencys which are located at the same mountain site. Other frequencys located at the same site also have some of the static problems but are not as problematic as reporter's frequencys. Reporter noted that the problem, which sounds like a stuck microphone or a burst of static, seems to occur primarily wednesday through sunday, although it has occasionally occurred on monday and tuesday and that it generally occurs at night. Ucrs have been filed on the problem. Airways facilities technicians as well as the contractor representatives recently spent a wkend and are planning another wkend at the site in an attempt to find the problem. Reporter alleges there are suspicions that a ham operator may be causing the problem but indicated no one knows for sure at this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED SIT OF STATIC APPEARING ON ONE FREQ AND THEN SKIPPING TO ANOTHER FREQ BEING USED DUE TO STATIC ON THE FIRST FREQ. RPTR STATED ACFT WERE SWITCHED BACK AND FORTH ON THE DIFFERENT FREQS AND THAT THE PROB HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL WKS.

Narrative: ZTL N DEP SECTOR. AT APPROX XA31Z ON AUG/XA/97, I WAS WORKING A DEP PUSH AT COMBINED SECTORS. OUR FREQ 133.1, 127.05 ARE USED AT THIS SECTOR AS IT IS A COMBINED LOW, ULTRA LOW SECTOR. THERE IS A BACKUP 132.67 ALSO AVAILABLE. AT XA31 WITH SEVERAL ACFT ON FREQ, THE FREQ ERUPTED WITH STATIC THAT STARTED ON 133.1 THEN SKIPPED TO 127.05 AFTER 1-2 MINS. IT THEN SKIPPED TO 132.67 THAT I WAS TRYING TO USE. AFTER 132.67 IT THEN SKIPPED BACK TO 127.05 THEN BACK TO 133.1 ALWAYS AFTER 2-3 MINS, AND I TRANSITIONED ACFT BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES. THIS SIT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR SEVERAL WKS. THIS SECTOR IS VERY COMPLEX WITH COORD WITH 3 ATL SECTORS, 8 ZTL SECTORS, 1 CHA, 2 TYS SECTORS TO DEAL WITH. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO WORK THIS SECTOR AS IS -- IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE STATIC PROB PRIMARILY INVOLVES RPTR'S SECTOR FREQS WHICH ARE LOCATED AT THE SAME MOUNTAIN SITE. OTHER FREQS LOCATED AT THE SAME SITE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE STATIC PROBS BUT ARE NOT AS PROBLEMATIC AS RPTR'S FREQS. RPTR NOTED THAT THE PROB, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A STUCK MIKE OR A BURST OF STATIC, SEEMS TO OCCUR PRIMARILY WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, ALTHOUGH IT HAS OCCASIONALLY OCCURRED ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND THAT IT GENERALLY OCCURS AT NIGHT. UCRS HAVE BEEN FILED ON THE PROB. AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIANS AS WELL AS THE CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVES RECENTLY SPENT A WKEND AND ARE PLANNING ANOTHER WKEND AT THE SITE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE PROB. RPTR ALLEGES THERE ARE SUSPICIONS THAT A HAM OPERATOR MAY BE CAUSING THE PROB BUT INDICATED NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE AT THIS TIME.

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.