Reporter contends that the computerized ATIS at mdw is hard to understand.

Attributes
ACN	431134
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	431134
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

This particular incident was with the FAA's computerized ATIS voice that sounds as if it is generated from a computer that was designed in the 1970's. Whenever the ATIS has something of critical information that is outside of the normal WX it is almost impossible to understand. While receiving the ATIS, there was a report on about moderate to severe turbulence and altitudes that sounded as if it was 2000-3000 ft. After asking the controller what it was actually saying was FL220-FL350. This is only one time of many that we cannot understand this highly outdated voice. In the past, I have had to confirm important NOTAMS that could not be understood. This is an accident waiting to happen because not everyone will always ask the controller to see if it is something important or not. Callback conversation with mdw tower specialist revealed the following information: spoke to mdw tower specialist about ATIS. Specialist indicated facility had not received any complaints about the ATIS being hard to understand. The facility monitors the ATIS every hour to ensure that it sounds ok. Asked for phone dial-in number. Was given (773) 581-9967. Analyst called to listen to computerized ATIS 4 times. ATIS was easily understandable. Analyst listened to ATIS on the telephone with no backgnd noise. There may be a problem with what flight crew is using as listening device, with the noise that's prevalent in the cockpit, eg, speaker, headset.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CONTENDS THAT THE COMPUTERIZED ATIS AT MDW IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

Narrative: THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT WAS WITH THE FAA'S COMPUTERIZED ATIS VOICE THAT SOUNDS AS IF IT IS GENERATED FROM A COMPUTER THAT WAS DESIGNED IN THE 1970'S. WHENEVER THE ATIS HAS SOMETHING OF CRITICAL INFO THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL WX IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND. WHILE RECEIVING THE ATIS, THERE WAS A RPT ON ABOUT MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB AND ALTS THAT SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS 2000-3000 FT. AFTER ASKING THE CTLR WHAT IT WAS ACTUALLY SAYING WAS FL220-FL350. THIS IS ONLY ONE TIME OF MANY THAT WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THIS HIGHLY OUTDATED VOICE. IN THE PAST, I HAVE HAD TO CONFIRM IMPORTANT NOTAMS THAT COULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WILL ALWAYS ASK THE CTLR TO SEE IF IT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT OR NOT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH MDW TWR SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: SPOKE TO MDW TWR SPECIALIST ABOUT ATIS. SPECIALIST INDICATED FACILITY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ATIS BEING HARD TO UNDERSTAND. THE FACILITY MONITORS THE ATIS EVERY HR TO ENSURE THAT IT SOUNDS OK. ASKED FOR PHONE DIAL-IN NUMBER. WAS GIVEN (773) 581-9967. ANALYST CALLED TO LISTEN TO COMPUTERIZED ATIS 4 TIMES. ATIS WAS EASILY UNDERSTANDABLE. ANALYST LISTENED TO ATIS ON THE TELEPHONE WITH NO BACKGND NOISE. THERE MAY BE A PROB WITH WHAT FLC IS USING AS LISTENING DEVICE, WITH THE NOISE THAT'S PREVALENT IN THE COCKPIT, EG, SPEAKER, HEADSET.

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.