Narrative:

This has happened several times in the past. We moved into our new facility in mar/98 and have seen this problem since the move. While working departure radar (fortunately not the busiest time of the day) the ARTS alarm went off and continued going off. We had approximately 2 seconds before all data dropped off our scopes. We were left with only primary radar. Normally when we lose ARTS the tags will freeze, at least long enough for you to write them down. This time everything dropped -- the scope went black. The system came back on line several mins later, but dropped again within a min or 2. This happened 1 more time approximately 30 mins later. I was told this happened once on the previous shift. Airways facilities people think the problem might have to do with equipment not being properly grounded. This time we were fortunate to be able to stop departures and put center into holding at our outer fixes. Relatively few planes were within our boundaries. The last time this happened we were in the middle of one of our busiest arrival rushes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised ARTS problem associated with new facility installation. Reporter advised that a ucr had been filed also. Within the last 30 days, maintenance has obtained technical support from aos and the technical center. There have been no recent ARTS failures since these 2 technical teams have been working on the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR HAS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ARTS TAG FAILURE. THE RADAR ARTS PRESENTATION WOULD OCCASIONALLY FREEZE AND OTHER TIMES GO BLANK. RPTR STATES THAT MAINT PERSONNEL ARE WORKING TO ISOLATE AND CORRECT THE PROB.

Narrative: THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST. WE MOVED INTO OUR NEW FACILITY IN MAR/98 AND HAVE SEEN THIS PROB SINCE THE MOVE. WHILE WORKING DEP RADAR (FORTUNATELY NOT THE BUSIEST TIME OF THE DAY) THE ARTS ALARM WENT OFF AND CONTINUED GOING OFF. WE HAD APPROX 2 SECONDS BEFORE ALL DATA DROPPED OFF OUR SCOPES. WE WERE LEFT WITH ONLY PRIMARY RADAR. NORMALLY WHEN WE LOSE ARTS THE TAGS WILL FREEZE, AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH FOR YOU TO WRITE THEM DOWN. THIS TIME EVERYTHING DROPPED -- THE SCOPE WENT BLACK. THE SYS CAME BACK ON LINE SEVERAL MINS LATER, BUT DROPPED AGAIN WITHIN A MIN OR 2. THIS HAPPENED 1 MORE TIME APPROX 30 MINS LATER. I WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENED ONCE ON THE PREVIOUS SHIFT. AIRWAYS FACILITIES PEOPLE THINK THE PROB MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH EQUIP NOT BEING PROPERLY GNDED. THIS TIME WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO STOP DEPS AND PUT CTR INTO HOLDING AT OUR OUTER FIXES. RELATIVELY FEW PLANES WERE WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF OUR BUSIEST ARR RUSHES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED ARTS PROB ASSOCIATED WITH NEW FACILITY INSTALLATION. RPTR ADVISED THAT A UCR HAD BEEN FILED ALSO. WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS, MAINT HAS OBTAINED TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM AOS AND THE TECHNICAL CTR. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECENT ARTS FAILURES SINCE THESE 2 TECHNICAL TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PROB.

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.