Narrative:

A controller tried to open ground control position. Frequencys were not working from telephone company jack. Airways facilities changed module to fix problem. This problem has occurred numerous times. We have numerous open ucr's on ground. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that this recurring and intermittent problem had serious side effects. When the ground control jack fails, the controller is then required to use the pet-2000 (a portable, tunable radio) or use the FAA communication jack. Using either back-up equipment system does not have a landline connection. The supervisor or another controller has to assist the ground controller with any landline coordination, therefore impacting and distracting others with the ground controller's workload, which is a safety problem. The tower's 301A electro-mechanical switching system is no longer made. The reporter states that sav is the last FAA facility with this system in the southern region. Also, the last 2 maintenance personnel with the most direct repair knowledge of this system have recently retired. The reporter alleges that sav was scheduled for new tower communication equipment in 1994, but was slipped due to another facility's greater need. Since then, sav has been slipped yr after yr. A replacement tower is apparently scheduled in 4 or 5 yrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAV CTLR CONCERNED WITH RECURRENT GND CTL TELCO JACK FAILURE.

Narrative: A CTLR TRIED TO OPEN GND CTL POS. FREQS WERE NOT WORKING FROM TELCO JACK. AIRWAYS FACILITIES CHANGED MODULE TO FIX PROB. THIS PROB HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. WE HAVE NUMEROUS OPEN UCR'S ON GND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT THIS RECURRING AND INTERMITTENT PROB HAD SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS. WHEN THE GND CTL JACK FAILS, THE CTLR IS THEN REQUIRED TO USE THE PET-2000 (A PORTABLE, TUNABLE RADIO) OR USE THE FAA COM JACK. USING EITHER BACK-UP EQUIP SYS DOES NOT HAVE A LANDLINE CONNECTION. THE SUPVR OR ANOTHER CTLR HAS TO ASSIST THE GND CTLR WITH ANY LANDLINE COORD, THEREFORE IMPACTING AND DISTRACTING OTHERS WITH THE GND CTLR'S WORKLOAD, WHICH IS A SAFETY PROB. THE TWR'S 301A ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SWITCHING SYS IS NO LONGER MADE. THE RPTR STATES THAT SAV IS THE LAST FAA FACILITY WITH THIS SYS IN THE SOUTHERN REGION. ALSO, THE LAST 2 MAINT PERSONNEL WITH THE MOST DIRECT REPAIR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SYS HAVE RECENTLY RETIRED. THE RPTR ALLEGES THAT SAV WAS SCHEDULED FOR NEW TWR COM EQUIP IN 1994, BUT WAS SLIPPED DUE TO ANOTHER FACILITY'S GREATER NEED. SINCE THEN, SAV HAS BEEN SLIPPED YR AFTER YR. A REPLACEMENT TWR IS APPARENTLY SCHEDULED IN 4 OR 5 YRS.

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.