Narrative:

ZTL commissioned a new rag site (124.25) located at hky to provide ground communications and allow us to retain the class east surface area of hky. ZTL management failed to complete I&I negotiations with union and therefore did not provide any training, guidance or procedures in the use of this second frequency. The frequency was installed with the intention of routing it to the d-side, thereby having the d-side act as clearance delivery at hky. This is a totally new procedure for ZTL and brings up numerous operational and training questions. Because bargaining wasn't completed (and we're required to monitor air traffic frequencys) the new frequency was reported to the r-side. Now the r-side has 2 independent frequencys to monitor on a sector that is 10000 ft and below, full of mountains and has 4 localizer approachs (plus numerous others). In other words it's very complex. Pilots are now calling for clrncs on the new frequency and adding a tremendous workload to the r-side. Confusion reigns as to whether pilots should call on 125.15, 124.25 or call rdu FSS for clearance. We actually had an instance where the r-side was clearing an aircraft off hky on the radio and a d-side was clearing one off hky through FSS. Fortunately the error was caught. The chances of this happening again has been greatly increased. Procedures to prevent this and other scenarios needed to be implemented quickly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ALLEGES A NEW REMOTE RADIO SITE WAS INSTALLED AND NEW PROCS WERE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT TRAINING AND WITHOUT INPUT FROM APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL REGARDING THE POS THAT WOULD HAVE USE OF THE FREQ -- R OR D SIDE.

Narrative: ZTL COMMISSIONED A NEW RAG SITE (124.25) LOCATED AT HKY TO PROVIDE GND COMS AND ALLOW US TO RETAIN THE CLASS E SURFACE AREA OF HKY. ZTL MGMNT FAILED TO COMPLETE I&I NEGOTIATIONS WITH UNION AND THEREFORE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY TRAINING, GUIDANCE OR PROCS IN THE USE OF THIS SECOND FREQ. THE FREQ WAS INSTALLED WITH THE INTENTION OF ROUTING IT TO THE D-SIDE, THEREBY HAVING THE D-SIDE ACT AS CLRNC DELIVERY AT HKY. THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW PROC FOR ZTL AND BRINGS UP NUMEROUS OPERATIONAL AND TRAINING QUESTIONS. BECAUSE BARGAINING WASN'T COMPLETED (AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO MONITOR AIR TFC FREQS) THE NEW FREQ WAS RPTED TO THE R-SIDE. NOW THE R-SIDE HAS 2 INDEPENDENT FREQS TO MONITOR ON A SECTOR THAT IS 10000 FT AND BELOW, FULL OF MOUNTAINS AND HAS 4 LOC APCHS (PLUS NUMEROUS OTHERS). IN OTHER WORDS IT'S VERY COMPLEX. PLTS ARE NOW CALLING FOR CLRNCS ON THE NEW FREQ AND ADDING A TREMENDOUS WORKLOAD TO THE R-SIDE. CONFUSION REIGNS AS TO WHETHER PLTS SHOULD CALL ON 125.15, 124.25 OR CALL RDU FSS FOR CLRNC. WE ACTUALLY HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE THE R-SIDE WAS CLRING AN ACFT OFF HKY ON THE RADIO AND A D-SIDE WAS CLRING ONE OFF HKY THROUGH FSS. FORTUNATELY THE ERROR WAS CAUGHT. THE CHANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN HAS BEEN GREATLY INCREASED. PROCS TO PREVENT THIS AND OTHER SCENARIOS NEEDED TO BE IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY.

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.