Cvg controller described the long term issuance of discrete code to certain frequent airspace uses t...

Narrative:

Cvg management has issued discrete beacon codes to rescue and police helicopters. They squawk these codes even when they are outside our airspace and not requesting ATC services. Because they are on discrete codes; they continually activate conflict alert alarms with every VFR aircraft they come close to. In addition; these extra tags also clutter the radar display and make reading your own tags very difficult. With the new 'stars' equipment; the leader direction of the tags automatically 'flop' around to avoid overlaps. Both of these sits cause unneeded distrs. Also; because there are constant conflict alert aural alarms sounding; ATC controllers become conditioned to disregard them. They are nothing more than a nuisance -- until a 'real' alarm goes disregarded. For some reason the management at cvg will not correct this situation. It is real and dangerous. If one of these helicopters requests ATC service; it is no problem to give them a beacon code and tag them up individually. Otherwise; they are nothing more than a distraction to already busy ATC controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CVG CTLR DESCRIBED THE LONG TERM ISSUANCE OF DISCRETE CODE TO CERTAIN FREQUENT AIRSPACE USES THAT CAUSE CLUTTER AND CONFLICT ALERTS.

Narrative: CVG MGMNT HAS ISSUED DISCRETE BEACON CODES TO RESCUE AND POLICE HELIS. THEY SQUAWK THESE CODES EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OUTSIDE OUR AIRSPACE AND NOT REQUESTING ATC SVCS. BECAUSE THEY ARE ON DISCRETE CODES; THEY CONTINUALLY ACTIVATE CONFLICT ALERT ALARMS WITH EVERY VFR ACFT THEY COME CLOSE TO. IN ADDITION; THESE EXTRA TAGS ALSO CLUTTER THE RADAR DISPLAY AND MAKE READING YOUR OWN TAGS VERY DIFFICULT. WITH THE NEW 'STARS' EQUIPMENT; THE LEADER DIRECTION OF THE TAGS AUTOMATICALLY 'FLOP' AROUND TO AVOID OVERLAPS. BOTH OF THESE SITS CAUSE UNNEEDED DISTRS. ALSO; BECAUSE THERE ARE CONSTANT CONFLICT ALERT AURAL ALARMS SOUNDING; ATC CTLRS BECOME CONDITIONED TO DISREGARD THEM. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A NUISANCE -- UNTIL A 'REAL' ALARM GOES DISREGARDED. FOR SOME REASON THE MGMNT AT CVG WILL NOT CORRECT THIS SIT. IT IS REAL AND DANGEROUS. IF ONE OF THESE HELIS REQUESTS ATC SVC; IT IS NO PROB TO GIVE THEM A BEACON CODE AND TAG THEM UP INDIVIDUALLY. OTHERWISE; THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A DISTR TO ALREADY BUSY ATC CTLRS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	669650
Time
Date	200508
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg.tracon
State Reference	KY
Environment
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 18 flight time total : 200
ASRS Report	669650
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : cvg.tracon

Cvg controller described the long term issuance of discrete code to certain frequent airspace uses that cause clutter and conflict alerts.