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Reported situation in which an ARTS data tag for one aircraft could not be displayed unless the reporter flipped the center, de-center switch. Tag would remain only a few seconds. Radar target was displayed. Reporter critical of worn out radar scopes equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 378667 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199708 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mci |
| State Reference | MO |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc tracon : mci |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 378667 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | other physical facility |
Narrative:
I was working east radar as ZKC was attempting to radar handoff aircraft to me, I had no data tag, just a radar target. I flipped the center/de-center toggle switch and the data tag appeared, but only for a few seconds, then disappeared. Every time I flipped the switch the data tag would appear and then disappear until the aircraft got approximately 40 mi from the radar antenna. This occurred from the northeast quadrant to the southeast quadrant. I worked with the radar technician troubleshooting and trying different things (while I was still working radar). As traffic increased we moved to a different scope. The radar technician has no idea what is causing this. He says it could be a software problem, but he does not know. This is almost the common response anymore with an equipment problem. It is either 'I don't know' or 'that's not supposed to do that.' my opinion is the scope is old and worn out. Someone has got to jumpstart the FAA before all of our scopes just quit. It is like a tuner on a tv set when it starts going out a little at a time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTED SIT IN WHICH AN ARTS DATA TAG FOR ONE ACFT COULD NOT BE DISPLAYED UNLESS THE RPTR FLIPPED THE CTR, DE-CTR SWITCH. TAG WOULD REMAIN ONLY A FEW SECONDS. RADAR TARGET WAS DISPLAYED. RPTR CRITICAL OF WORN OUT RADAR SCOPES EQUIP.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING E RADAR AS ZKC WAS ATTEMPTING TO RADAR HDOF ACFT TO ME, I HAD NO DATA TAG, JUST A RADAR TARGET. I FLIPPED THE CTR/DE-CTR TOGGLE SWITCH AND THE DATA TAG APPEARED, BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN DISAPPEARED. EVERY TIME I FLIPPED THE SWITCH THE DATA TAG WOULD APPEAR AND THEN DISAPPEAR UNTIL THE ACFT GOT APPROX 40 MI FROM THE RADAR ANTENNA. THIS OCCURRED FROM THE NE QUADRANT TO THE SE QUADRANT. I WORKED WITH THE RADAR TECHNICIAN TROUBLESHOOTING AND TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS (WHILE I WAS STILL WORKING RADAR). AS TFC INCREASED WE MOVED TO A DIFFERENT SCOPE. THE RADAR TECHNICIAN HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. HE SAYS IT COULD BE A SOFTWARE PROB, BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW. THIS IS ALMOST THE COMMON RESPONSE ANYMORE WITH AN EQUIP PROB. IT IS EITHER 'I DON'T KNOW' OR 'THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.' MY OPINION IS THE SCOPE IS OLD AND WORN OUT. SOMEONE HAS GOT TO JUMPSTART THE FAA BEFORE ALL OF OUR SCOPES JUST QUIT. IT IS LIKE A TUNER ON A TV SET WHEN IT STARTS GOING OUT A LITTLE AT A 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.