Narrative:

Starting around XA30 local, a large number of false targets, tracks, and other radar data were observed around the odessa lrr site. Ongoing problems with false WX depiction have been a concern for some time now, but this is much more serious. The problem was/is generating a great number of false targets. This is causing great additional controller workload. This is especially true since several recent incidents in ZFW have been linked to 'limited data blocks' transiting sectors without being observed. We have been briefed to be vigilant, but when 20+ false targets are jumping about in a sector (a count taken at mid morning on ZFW-40), the controller is forced to take attention from his additional services and some of his secondary services to ensure his primary duty -- separation. I was compelled to evaluate many false tracks to see if they could possibly be an IFR aircraft, not handed off to me in error. This situation greatly increases sector workload and adversely impacts both safety and the user. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this anomaly had been rare in the past, not like the problem that was reported to us. Reporter indicated that something had been done, just after his ASRS report was sent, to the odessa radar to reduce the false targets, but not enough to totally eliminate the problem. Reporter informed analyst that 2 facility ucr's have been filed recently citing the same problem. One was filed by the reporter and the other by another controller. They are still waiting for the official facility response, primarily from airways facilities radar maintenance. Reporter said that his union representative is aware of this problem and will try to get something started using that avenue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT THE ZFW'S ODESSA LONG RANGE RADAR IS GENERATING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FALSE TARGETS, WHICH RPTR BELIEVES ADVERSELY IMPACTS BOTH THE USER AND SAFETY.

Narrative: STARTING AROUND XA30 LCL, A LARGE NUMBER OF FALSE TARGETS, TRACKS, AND OTHER RADAR DATA WERE OBSERVED AROUND THE ODESSA LRR SITE. ONGOING PROBS WITH FALSE WX DEPICTION HAVE BEEN A CONCERN FOR SOME TIME NOW, BUT THIS IS MUCH MORE SERIOUS. THE PROB WAS/IS GENERATING A GREAT NUMBER OF FALSE TARGETS. THIS IS CAUSING GREAT ADDITIONAL CTLR WORKLOAD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE SINCE SEVERAL RECENT INCIDENTS IN ZFW HAVE BEEN LINKED TO 'LIMITED DATA BLOCKS' TRANSITING SECTORS WITHOUT BEING OBSERVED. WE HAVE BEEN BRIEFED TO BE VIGILANT, BUT WHEN 20+ FALSE TARGETS ARE JUMPING ABOUT IN A SECTOR (A COUNT TAKEN AT MID MORNING ON ZFW-40), THE CTLR IS FORCED TO TAKE ATTN FROM HIS ADDITIONAL SVCS AND SOME OF HIS SECONDARY SVCS TO ENSURE HIS PRIMARY DUTY -- SEPARATION. I WAS COMPELLED TO EVALUATE MANY FALSE TRACKS TO SEE IF THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE AN IFR ACFT, NOT HANDED OFF TO ME IN ERROR. THIS SIT GREATLY INCREASES SECTOR WORKLOAD AND ADVERSELY IMPACTS BOTH SAFETY AND THE USER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS ANOMALY HAD BEEN RARE IN THE PAST, NOT LIKE THE PROB THAT WAS RPTED TO US. RPTR INDICATED THAT SOMETHING HAD BEEN DONE, JUST AFTER HIS ASRS RPT WAS SENT, TO THE ODESSA RADAR TO REDUCE THE FALSE TARGETS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE PROB. RPTR INFORMED ANALYST THAT 2 FACILITY UCR'S HAVE BEEN FILED RECENTLY CITING THE SAME PROB. ONE WAS FILED BY THE RPTR AND THE OTHER BY ANOTHER CTLR. THEY ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE OFFICIAL FACILITY RESPONSE, PRIMARILY FROM AIRWAYS FACILITIES RADAR MAINT. RPTR SAID THAT HIS UNION REPRESENTATIVE IS AWARE OF THIS PROB AND WILL TRY TO GET SOMETHING STARTED USING THAT AVENUE.

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.