Narrative:

Duplicate/false radar beacon targets are generated on the radar display; often occurring 90 degrees from; and equidistant from the main bang. These targets occur on tracked aircraft; including aircraft tracked by adjacent facilities outside my airspace. The duplicate/false targets appear as a tracked target; displaying mode C readouts of the actual target. Often it causes the real target to display a DB (dual beacon) warning; but the false/duplicate displays no indication that it is a duplicate. I've witnessed 1 controller radar identify a false target because it appeared to be the only target displaying an identify. I've faced numerous harrowing instances of having traffic appear which appears to be in conflict with my traffic; or converging on my traffic only to have the false/dual target disappear mins later because it was a dupe. Numerous controllers have reported relaying traffic alerts to aircraft based upon false/duplicate targets appearing on their rads. While I've not observed controller errors at this time I suspect that should the problem continue at some point an error of omission will occur; or a controller will ignore a problem thinking it's one of the 70 or more false/dual beacon targets which occur everyday. FAA management is aware of the problem; but has done little to fix it. The problem began (at least 5 months ago) when the airport installed a new 10 ft metal fence around the airport; initially displaying false/dual targets only in a small area on the radar. As the fence was completed the false/dual targets encircled the airport. FAA believes; and I do too that the fence is causing the false/dual targets. Nothing has been done to correct; or even diminish this problem; it is an accident waiting to happen. The false/duplicate targets occur between 5 mi and 40 mi of the main bang. FAA management seems to constantly say they are working to fix the problem; but nothing works. They've installed hardware designed to eliminate the problem; but it has not worked and the problem is as bad as ever. We have tried to let the FAA fix the problem; but after at least 5 months and after speaking to the af technicians we do not know where to turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HUF TRACON CTLR RPTS MULTIPLE FALSE TARGETS ARE CAUSING PROBS. CTLR BELIEVES A NEW ARPT FENCE CAUSED THE PROBS.

Narrative: DUPLICATE/FALSE RADAR BEACON TARGETS ARE GENERATED ON THE RADAR DISPLAY; OFTEN OCCURRING 90 DEGS FROM; AND EQUIDISTANT FROM THE MAIN BANG. THESE TARGETS OCCUR ON TRACKED ACFT; INCLUDING ACFT TRACKED BY ADJACENT FACILITIES OUTSIDE MY AIRSPACE. THE DUPLICATE/FALSE TARGETS APPEAR AS A TRACKED TARGET; DISPLAYING MODE C READOUTS OF THE ACTUAL TARGET. OFTEN IT CAUSES THE REAL TARGET TO DISPLAY A DB (DUAL BEACON) WARNING; BUT THE FALSE/DUPLICATE DISPLAYS NO INDICATION THAT IT IS A DUPLICATE. I'VE WITNESSED 1 CTLR RADAR IDENT A FALSE TARGET BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO BE THE ONLY TARGET DISPLAYING AN IDENT. I'VE FACED NUMEROUS HARROWING INSTANCES OF HAVING TFC APPEAR WHICH APPEARS TO BE IN CONFLICT WITH MY TFC; OR CONVERGING ON MY TFC ONLY TO HAVE THE FALSE/DUAL TARGET DISAPPEAR MINS LATER BECAUSE IT WAS A DUPE. NUMEROUS CTLRS HAVE RPTED RELAYING TFC ALERTS TO ACFT BASED UPON FALSE/DUPLICATE TARGETS APPEARING ON THEIR RADS. WHILE I'VE NOT OBSERVED CTLR ERRORS AT THIS TIME I SUSPECT THAT SHOULD THE PROB CONTINUE AT SOME POINT AN ERROR OF OMISSION WILL OCCUR; OR A CTLR WILL IGNORE A PROB THINKING IT'S ONE OF THE 70 OR MORE FALSE/DUAL BEACON TARGETS WHICH OCCUR EVERYDAY. FAA MGMNT IS AWARE OF THE PROB; BUT HAS DONE LITTLE TO FIX IT. THE PROB BEGAN (AT LEAST 5 MONTHS AGO) WHEN THE ARPT INSTALLED A NEW 10 FT METAL FENCE AROUND THE ARPT; INITIALLY DISPLAYING FALSE/DUAL TARGETS ONLY IN A SMALL AREA ON THE RADAR. AS THE FENCE WAS COMPLETED THE FALSE/DUAL TARGETS ENCIRCLED THE ARPT. FAA BELIEVES; AND I DO TOO THAT THE FENCE IS CAUSING THE FALSE/DUAL TARGETS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT; OR EVEN DIMINISH THIS PROB; IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE FALSE/DUPLICATE TARGETS OCCUR BTWN 5 MI AND 40 MI OF THE MAIN BANG. FAA MGMNT SEEMS TO CONSTANTLY SAY THEY ARE WORKING TO FIX THE PROB; BUT NOTHING WORKS. THEY'VE INSTALLED HARDWARE DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE THE PROB; BUT IT HAS NOT WORKED AND THE PROB IS AS BAD AS EVER. WE HAVE TRIED TO LET THE FAA FIX THE PROB; BUT AFTER AT LEAST 5 MONTHS AND AFTER SPEAKING TO THE AF TECHNICIANS WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN.

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.