Reported problem of position frequency loss when facility switches from commercial power to generato...

Attributes
ACN	396313
Time
Date	199803
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju
State Reference	PR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	396313
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

I was working the final approach sector (west control) and the facility switched from commercial to generator power. I lost the ability to transmit to aircraft on my frequency (119.4). After approximately 3 mins we switched back. 1 hour later they informed me they were going to do it again. I inquired about the problem and the supervisor told me it was reported. I asked what the plan was for the aircraft in my sector and he did not know. I asked him not to allow them to switch power without having another plan, ie, another operating frequency or combine my sector with another and use one frequency. This problem has occurred in the past and was reported as corrected. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter filed a ucr on the problem. Reporter received a response that a cable problem had been repaired. Reporter could not remember if it was a loose or defective cable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED PROB OF POS FREQ LOSS WHEN FACILITY SWITCHES FROM COMMERCIAL PWR TO GENERATOR PWR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE FINAL APCH SECTOR (W CTL) AND THE FACILITY SWITCHED FROM COMMERCIAL TO GENERATOR PWR. I LOST THE ABILITY TO XMIT TO ACFT ON MY FREQ (119.4). AFTER APPROX 3 MINS WE SWITCHED BACK. 1 HR LATER THEY INFORMED ME THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. I INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROB AND THE SUPVR TOLD ME IT WAS RPTED. I ASKED WHAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THE ACFT IN MY SECTOR AND HE DID NOT KNOW. I ASKED HIM NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO SWITCH PWR WITHOUT HAVING ANOTHER PLAN, IE, ANOTHER OPERATING FREQ OR COMBINE MY SECTOR WITH ANOTHER AND USE ONE FREQ. THIS PROB HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST AND WAS RPTED AS CORRECTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR FILED A UCR ON THE PROB. RPTR RECEIVED A RESPONSE THAT A CABLE PROB HAD BEEN REPAIRED. RPTR COULD NOT REMEMBER IF IT WAS A LOOSE OR DEFECTIVE CABLE.

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.

Reported problem of position frequency loss when facility switches from commercial power to generator power.