Narrative:

Dfw has 4 radar system (east; west; sachse; azle). The only ones suitable to work traffic on the east side of the airspace are the former three. Sachse is not used due to the fact that the WX presentation is not reliable. This leaves the controllers with east or west. This brings us to our problem. Both of these system have been reported to have weak presentations and radar returns east of dfw. Aircraft ARTS tags are 'coasting' because the radar system continually drop targets. The most recent problems have occurred this week. On oct/sat/06; the east system failed totally for about 1 min and had to be put on backup generator. On oct/sat/06; the west radar was reported operating poorly by a controller working traffic southwest of dfw. On oct/sun/06 (today); we had an aircraft depart tki and proceed sbound through our airspace. He was level at 4000 ft and eventually climbed to 8000 ft. The aircraft was in 'coast' the whole time in our airspace on the east and west radar system. This problem has been reported constantly over the last 8 yrs or more.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: D10 CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE RADAR PRESENTATIONS OF VARIOUS RADAR SYS IN USE.

Narrative: DFW HAS 4 RADAR SYS (E; W; SACHSE; AZLE). THE ONLY ONES SUITABLE TO WORK TFC ON THE E SIDE OF THE AIRSPACE ARE THE FORMER THREE. SACHSE IS NOT USED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE WX PRESENTATION IS NOT RELIABLE. THIS LEAVES THE CTLRS WITH E OR W. THIS BRINGS US TO OUR PROB. BOTH OF THESE SYS HAVE BEEN RPTED TO HAVE WEAK PRESENTATIONS AND RADAR RETURNS E OF DFW. ACFT ARTS TAGS ARE 'COASTING' BECAUSE THE RADAR SYS CONTINUALLY DROP TARGETS. THE MOST RECENT PROBS HAVE OCCURRED THIS WK. ON OCT/SAT/06; THE E SYS FAILED TOTALLY FOR ABOUT 1 MIN AND HAD TO BE PUT ON BACKUP GENERATOR. ON OCT/SAT/06; THE W RADAR WAS RPTED OPERATING POORLY BY A CTLR WORKING TFC SW OF DFW. ON OCT/SUN/06 (TODAY); WE HAD AN ACFT DEPART TKI AND PROCEED SBOUND THROUGH OUR AIRSPACE. HE WAS LEVEL AT 4000 FT AND EVENTUALLY CLBED TO 8000 FT. THE ACFT WAS IN 'COAST' THE WHOLE TIME IN OUR AIRSPACE ON THE E AND W RADAR SYS. THIS PROB HAS BEEN RPTED CONSTANTLY OVER THE LAST 8 YRS OR MORE.

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.