ZTL controller concerned about intermittent frequency (127 pt 77) activation and usability.

Attributes
ACN	522252
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	522252
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : vscs other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Facility
Situations
ATC Facility	communication equipment : ztl.artcc

Narrative:

The main transmitter on frequency 126.77 failed to work. I changed to stand-by transmitter. The stand-by worked well. I changed back to the main transmitter -- it worked fine. This has happened numerous times. The transmitter appeared to be intermittent. I have been told it is a software problem. What do we have to do to make our equipment reliable? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that he has incurred this problem a few times in the past. He was advised a 'couple of times' that the problem was associated with the incorrect operation of the voice switching and control system. The reporter wants the equipment to operate in an 'easier' format sequence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR CONCERNED ABOUT INTERMITTENT FREQ (127 PT 77) ACTIVATION AND USABILITY.

Narrative: THE MAIN XMITTER ON FREQ 126.77 FAILED TO WORK. I CHANGED TO STAND-BY XMITTER. THE STAND-BY WORKED WELL. I CHANGED BACK TO THE MAIN XMITTER -- IT WORKED FINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE XMITTER APPEARED TO BE INTERMITTENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS A SOFTWARE PROB. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE OUR EQUIP RELIABLE? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT HE HAS INCURRED THIS PROB A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST. HE WAS ADVISED A 'COUPLE OF TIMES' THAT THE PROB WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCORRECT OP OF THE VOICE SWITCHING AND CTL SYS. THE RPTR WANTS THE EQUIP TO OPERATE IN AN 'EASIER' FORMAT SEQUENCE.

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.