Narrative:

South of chs/sav vors on J79 at milie intersection, I observed target on TCASII at same altitude (FL310) approaching from 1-2 O'clock position at approximately 13 mi ahead. After immediate visual confirmation with my first officer, he called ZJX to question target and I simultaneously initiated a shallow left turn. ZJX directed a 20 degree left turn and target aircraft passed approximately 5 KM west (off our right wing) of our position, causing RA on our TCASII. No action to RA initiated due to visual contact and no chance of conflict. After established on new heading, ZJX issued another heading to intercept J79 north of ormond beach. ZJX then directed a frequency change and no mention of course conflict was stated by the controller. Remainder of flight to mco was uneventful. Upon completion of rotation in atl the following day, I was advised by atl chief pilot's office that investigation was being initiated by ZJX. I contacted quality assurance representation/ZJX and was told that conflicting aircraft was an air carrier B737 on radar vectors north of craig VOR and that my aircraft was 12-13 mi west of J79 airway. No satisfactory answer was provided as to why the controller/ground radar/computer equipment had not forewarned of possible conflict as first warning/alert had been initiated by myself and our aircraft based VOR/navigation system showed us to be on course. Hopefully, this situation can be resolved to prevent future occurrences. Supplemental information from acn 479281: the following day, we learned that ZJX showed us 12 NM west of J79 without warning us. This position was contrary to our VOR indications. I believe that unauthorized ped (personal electronic device) usage in the cabin or lavatory interfered with our VOR receiver. While greeting passenger during boarding process at jfk, I observed several cell phones in use. I am concerned that passenger can easily use personal cell phones in the lavatory during flight. Supplemental information from acn 479282: this was a routine event only because of VMC. Controller input could have prevented this event easily.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 FLT IS UNKNOWINGLY 15 MI OFF COURSE TO THE W OF J79 S OF SAV AND EXPERIENCES A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAME ALT B737. BOTH ACFT UNDER RADAR CTL, NO TA'S, WITH ZJX, FL.

Narrative: S OF CHS/SAV VORS ON J79 AT MILIE INTXN, I OBSERVED TARGET ON TCASII AT SAME ALT (FL310) APCHING FROM 1-2 O'CLOCK POS AT APPROX 13 MI AHEAD. AFTER IMMEDIATE VISUAL CONFIRMATION WITH MY FO, HE CALLED ZJX TO QUESTION TARGET AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY INITIATED A SHALLOW L TURN. ZJX DIRECTED A 20 DEG L TURN AND TARGET ACFT PASSED APPROX 5 KM W (OFF OUR R WING) OF OUR POS, CAUSING RA ON OUR TCASII. NO ACTION TO RA INITIATED DUE TO VISUAL CONTACT AND NO CHANCE OF CONFLICT. AFTER ESTABLISHED ON NEW HDG, ZJX ISSUED ANOTHER HDG TO INTERCEPT J79 N OF ORMOND BEACH. ZJX THEN DIRECTED A FREQ CHANGE AND NO MENTION OF COURSE CONFLICT WAS STATED BY THE CTLR. REMAINDER OF FLT TO MCO WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON COMPLETION OF ROTATION IN ATL THE FOLLOWING DAY, I WAS ADVISED BY ATL CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE THAT INVESTIGATION WAS BEING INITIATED BY ZJX. I CONTACTED QUALITY ASSURANCE REPRESENTATION/ZJX AND WAS TOLD THAT CONFLICTING ACFT WAS AN ACR B737 ON RADAR VECTORS N OF CRAIG VOR AND THAT MY ACFT WAS 12-13 MI W OF J79 AIRWAY. NO SATISFACTORY ANSWER WAS PROVIDED AS TO WHY THE CTLR/GND RADAR/COMPUTER EQUIP HAD NOT FOREWARNED OF POSSIBLE CONFLICT AS FIRST WARNING/ALERT HAD BEEN INITIATED BY MYSELF AND OUR ACFT BASED VOR/NAV SYS SHOWED US TO BE ON COURSE. HOPEFULLY, THIS SIT CAN BE RESOLVED TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 479281: THE FOLLOWING DAY, WE LEARNED THAT ZJX SHOWED US 12 NM W OF J79 WITHOUT WARNING US. THIS POS WAS CONTRARY TO OUR VOR INDICATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT UNAUTH PED (PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE) USAGE IN THE CABIN OR LAVATORY INTERFERED WITH OUR VOR RECEIVER. WHILE GREETING PAX DURING BOARDING PROCESS AT JFK, I OBSERVED SEVERAL CELL PHONES IN USE. I AM CONCERNED THAT PAX CAN EASILY USE PERSONAL CELL PHONES IN THE LAVATORY DURING FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 479282: THIS WAS A ROUTINE EVENT ONLY BECAUSE OF VMC. CTLR INPUT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS EVENT EASILY.

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.