Clt approach controller claims radar equipment below 7000 ft in certain area is very poor.

Attributes
ACN	560362
Time
Date	200209
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt.tracon
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt.tracon tower : clt.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20
ASRS Report	560362
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other controllerb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Navigational Facility Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility

Narrative:

There were no aircraft-to-aircraft conflicts. I was working satellite radar. I could not track aircraft from clt 080 degree radial through clt 250 degree radial at or below 7000 ft due to very poor radar presentation. Ongoing -- getting worse. Primary and secondary radar would drop off mid radar sweep at its best. I advised the ATC supervisor and he switched to second channel without any improvement. ATC supervisor called radar technician supervisor. Radar technician supervisor said with lack of concern that there wasn't anything she could do for 4 hours until a radar technician came to work. This is an ongoing problem we work with since our only other choice is cenrap. We need help from a higher level. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the radar antenna was tilted slightly to eliminate a ring around problem. Reporter stated the radar antenna was tilted slightly to eliminate a ring around problem. Reporter said as a result of the tilting, radar coverage in certain areas is very poor and aircraft target loss is common at the lower altitudes. He said the radar technicians are not able to correct the problem. Handoffs to and from other facilities are sometimes a problem. He said ucr's unsatisfactory condition report have been filed several times by controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLT APCH CTLR CLAIMS RADAR EQUIP BELOW 7000 FT IN CERTAIN AREA IS VERY POOR.

Narrative: THERE WERE NO ACFT-TO-ACFT CONFLICTS. I WAS WORKING SATELLITE RADAR. I COULD NOT TRACK ACFT FROM CLT 080 DEG RADIAL THROUGH CLT 250 DEG RADIAL AT OR BELOW 7000 FT DUE TO VERY POOR RADAR PRESENTATION. ONGOING -- GETTING WORSE. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RADAR WOULD DROP OFF MID RADAR SWEEP AT ITS BEST. I ADVISED THE ATC SUPVR AND HE SWITCHED TO SECOND CHANNEL WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT. ATC SUPVR CALLED RADAR TECHNICIAN SUPVR. RADAR TECHNICIAN SUPVR SAID WITH LACK OF CONCERN THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING SHE COULD DO FOR 4 HRS UNTIL A RADAR TECHNICIAN CAME TO WORK. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB WE WORK WITH SINCE OUR ONLY OTHER CHOICE IS CENRAP. WE NEED HELP FROM A HIGHER LEVEL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE RADAR ANTENNA WAS TILTED SLIGHTLY TO ELIMINATE A RING AROUND PROB. RPTR STATED THE RADAR ANTENNA WAS TILTED SLIGHTLY TO ELIMINATE A RING AROUND PROB. RPTR SAID AS A RESULT OF THE TILTING, RADAR COVERAGE IN CERTAIN AREAS IS VERY POOR AND ACFT TARGET LOSS IS COMMON AT THE LOWER ALTS. HE SAID THE RADAR TECHNICIANS ARE NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB. HDOFS TO AND FROM OTHER FACILITIES ARE SOMETIMES A PROB. HE SAID UCR'S UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT HAVE BEEN FILED SEVERAL TIMES BY CTLRS.

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.