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Center controller at zan states that when certain sectors are combined; 9 frequencys must be placed on a handset located about 3-5 ft from the work place resulting in an unsafe situation due to the distance from the work place and an increase in ambient noise caused by all the radio chatter.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 708776 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200609 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zan.artcc |
| State Reference | AK |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 19 controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 4 |
| ASRS Report | 708776 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Navigational Facility ATC Facility |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
Narrative:
When I work sectors 3; 9; 13 all combined at zan; due to equipment limitations; 9 frequencys must be placed on a handset about 3-5 ft from my work area. This causes an unsafe situation while attempting to control airplanes. Due to the distance from my work area and ambient noise in the control room; it is sometimes not possible to hear aircraft xmissions. This results in reduced service to pilots; missed readbacks of ATC clrncs; and; in the worst scenario; could cause an aircraft accident. There are many solutions to this problem. 1) increase controller staffing so that combining these sectors is done only during very light traffic. 2) modernize the vscs communications equipment to accept more frequencys at each position. 3) redesign sectors at zan to minimize or eliminate this problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTR CTLR AT ZAN STATES THAT WHEN CERTAIN SECTORS ARE COMBINED; 9 FREQS MUST BE PLACED ON A HANDSET LOCATED ABOUT 3-5 FT FROM THE WORK PLACE RESULTING IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM THE WORK PLACE AND AN INCREASE IN AMBIENT NOISE CAUSED BY ALL THE RADIO CHATTER.
Narrative: WHEN I WORK SECTORS 3; 9; 13 ALL COMBINED AT ZAN; DUE TO EQUIP LIMITATIONS; 9 FREQS MUST BE PLACED ON A HANDSET ABOUT 3-5 FT FROM MY WORK AREA. THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE SITUATION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CTL AIRPLANES. DUE TO THE DISTANCE FROM MY WORK AREA AND AMBIENT NOISE IN THE CTL ROOM; IT IS SOMETIMES NOT POSSIBLE TO HEAR ACFT XMISSIONS. THIS RESULTS IN REDUCED SVC TO PLTS; MISSED READBACKS OF ATC CLRNCS; AND; IN THE WORST SCENARIO; COULD CAUSE AN ACFT ACCIDENT. THERE ARE MANY SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROB. 1) INCREASE CTLR STAFFING SO THAT COMBINING THESE SECTORS IS DONE ONLY DURING VERY LIGHT TFC. 2) MODERNIZE THE VSCS COMS EQUIP TO ACCEPT MORE FREQS AT EACH POS. 3) REDESIGN SECTORS AT ZAN TO MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE THIS PROB.
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.