Narrative:

Cid ATCT recently received the ARTS iie software. Since installation, aircraft moving about the airport are generated beacon returns and therefore display radar symbology (*'south, and V's) on and very close to the airport. Occasionally an aircraft with no mode C or inoperative mode C will tag and display a full data block and generate a premature departure message. In any case, during busy sessions, it is often confusing and difficult to identify tower traffic due to the excessive clutter. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter did not add any new information. He said most of the clutter on the d-brite in the tower was caused by aircraft with their transponder on. He didn't know what management was doing about it and not sure what the radar technicians were doing to fix the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT CTLR AT CID CLAIMS THAT THE TWR D-BRITE HAS EXCESSIVE CLUTTER SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF NEW ARTS IIE SOFTWARE.

Narrative: CID ATCT RECENTLY RECEIVED THE ARTS IIE SOFTWARE. SINCE INSTALLATION, ACFT MOVING ABOUT THE ARPT ARE GENERATED BEACON RETURNS AND THEREFORE DISPLAY RADAR SYMBOLOGY (*'S, AND V'S) ON AND VERY CLOSE TO THE ARPT. OCCASIONALLY AN ACFT WITH NO MODE C OR INOP MODE C WILL TAG AND DISPLAY A FULL DATA BLOCK AND GENERATE A PREMATURE DEP MESSAGE. IN ANY CASE, DURING BUSY SESSIONS, IT IS OFTEN CONFUSING AND DIFFICULT TO IDENT TWR TFC DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE CLUTTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DID NOT ADD ANY NEW INFO. HE SAID MOST OF THE CLUTTER ON THE D-BRITE IN THE TWR WAS CAUSED BY ACFT WITH THEIR XPONDER ON. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT MGMNT WAS DOING ABOUT IT AND NOT SURE WHAT THE RADAR TECHNICIANS WERE DOING TO FIX 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.