TRACON approach controller is concerned by ARTS data tag overlapping when vectoring a VFR aircraft to the FAF, with another aircraft holding for the approach.

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Attributes
ACN	414150
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oun
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : okc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	414150
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

While working the northwest arrival radar sector, I was vectoring a VFR beechcraft baron for a localizer approach at oun. The baron was at 3000 ft. The cessna was holding over soonr intersection at 5000 ft IFR. A DC9 was inbound to will rogersecond officerkc at 6000 ft. The data tags all overlap until they are unrecognizable as to which aircraft is which or what their altitudes are. It makes it almost impossible to give the baron a vector to intercept the localizer when it is impossible to tell where the aircraft is located. It is dangerous simply because if any of the aircraft descend for an unknown reason, or climb, I (as the controller) cannot identify the situation. The job becomes more difficult and stressful than necessary. I am sure I could vector the aircraft far enough away from each other for this not to happen, but this would cause unnecessary delays. We jokingly call this the ASR-9 automatic data tag overlap patch. It is an ongoing problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON APCH CTLR IS CONCERNED BY ARTS DATA TAG OVERLAPPING WHEN VECTORING A VFR ACFT TO THE FAF, WITH ANOTHER ACFT HOLDING FOR THE APCH.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE NW ARR RADAR SECTOR, I WAS VECTORING A VFR BEECHCRAFT BARON FOR A LOC APCH AT OUN. THE BARON WAS AT 3000 FT. THE CESSNA WAS HOLDING OVER SOONR INTXN AT 5000 FT IFR. A DC9 WAS INBOUND TO WILL ROGERS/OKC AT 6000 FT. THE DATA TAGS ALL OVERLAP UNTIL THEY ARE UNRECOGNIZABLE AS TO WHICH ACFT IS WHICH OR WHAT THEIR ALTS ARE. IT MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE THE BARON A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE LOC WHEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHERE THE ACFT IS LOCATED. IT IS DANGEROUS SIMPLY BECAUSE IF ANY OF THE ACFT DSND FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, OR CLB, I (AS THE CTLR) CANNOT IDENT THE SIT. THE JOB BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL THAN NECESSARY. I AM SURE I COULD VECTOR THE ACFT FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM EACH OTHER FOR THIS NOT TO HAPPEN, BUT THIS WOULD CAUSE UNNECESSARY DELAYS. WE JOKINGLY CALL THIS THE ASR-9 AUTOMATIC DATA TAG OVERLAP PATCH. IT IS AN ONGOING 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.