Narrative:

C208/a; dfw to tyr; checked on my frequency approximately 35 mi east of dfw at 5000 ft. My radar scope was showing no significant WX near this aircraft. There was WX south of a direct route from dfw to tyr. I issued no WX information to aircraft X. I had been issuing WX to several other aircraft in the eastern portion of my sector; uim intermediate with lak low combined. Aircraft X transmitted to me that he was currently in an area of moderate precipitation. Again; my radar scope was depicting no WX in his immediate area. I verified that he was indeed in moderate precipitation. At this time I called dfw TRACON (D10) and asked the controller if he was showing WX in the area of aircraft X. He told me that he was depicting level 1 and level 2 WX (light and moderate). Aircraft X continued to be in the moderate precipitation for approximately 15 mi. None of this WX was depicted on my scope. Our nexrad WX display has been unreliable since being installed. The actual WX is seldom located in the area depicted; if it is depicted at all. This problem has been reported to agency officials time and again. I reported to my supervisor that during times of significant WX; we need accurate WX displays in order to keep commercial and GA pilots up to date on the most current WX and this was not possible with our nexrad display. He told me that this was the tool that the FAA had elected to use and that we would use this tool. There was nothing he could do. We needed to solicit PIREPS and broadcast that information. FAA order 7110.65R; amended by N7110.441; sets a duty priority for a controller to issue WX data displayed on the radar scope to pilots if it looks like their route of flight will take them through the displayed WX. Since our WX display is unreliable at best; this takes up valuable time to disseminate this information to pilots and takes time away from other areas of pressing separation concerns. If the WX we are describing does not exist; this opens the door for unnecessary radio communications with pilots as they question what we are showing. This is distracting at best and could lead to operational error and deviations that could occur while the controller is distraction by pilots' concerns about WX he has called that is not there. Recommendation: turn nexrad WX off until a reliable WX display is put in ARTCC's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEXRAD WX INFO AND ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE CURRENT UPDATES AND ACCURATE INFO TO THE CTLRS.

Narrative: C208/A; DFW TO TYR; CHKED ON MY FREQ APPROX 35 MI E OF DFW AT 5000 FT. MY RADAR SCOPE WAS SHOWING NO SIGNIFICANT WX NEAR THIS ACFT. THERE WAS WX S OF A DIRECT RTE FROM DFW TO TYR. I ISSUED NO WX INFO TO ACFT X. I HAD BEEN ISSUING WX TO SEVERAL OTHER ACFT IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF MY SECTOR; UIM INTERMEDIATE WITH LAK LOW COMBINED. ACFT X XMITTED TO ME THAT HE WAS CURRENTLY IN AN AREA OF MODERATE PRECIP. AGAIN; MY RADAR SCOPE WAS DEPICTING NO WX IN HIS IMMEDIATE AREA. I VERIFIED THAT HE WAS INDEED IN MODERATE PRECIP. AT THIS TIME I CALLED DFW TRACON (D10) AND ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WAS SHOWING WX IN THE AREA OF ACFT X. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS DEPICTING LEVEL 1 AND LEVEL 2 WX (LIGHT AND MODERATE). ACFT X CONTINUED TO BE IN THE MODERATE PRECIP FOR APPROX 15 MI. NONE OF THIS WX WAS DEPICTED ON MY SCOPE. OUR NEXRAD WX DISPLAY HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE SINCE BEING INSTALLED. THE ACTUAL WX IS SELDOM LOCATED IN THE AREA DEPICTED; IF IT IS DEPICTED AT ALL. THIS PROB HAS BEEN RPTED TO AGENCY OFFICIALS TIME AND AGAIN. I RPTED TO MY SUPVR THAT DURING TIMES OF SIGNIFICANT WX; WE NEED ACCURATE WX DISPLAYS IN ORDER TO KEEP COMMERCIAL AND GA PLTS UP TO DATE ON THE MOST CURRENT WX AND THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITH OUR NEXRAD DISPLAY. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS THE TOOL THAT THE FAA HAD ELECTED TO USE AND THAT WE WOULD USE THIS TOOL. THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. WE NEEDED TO SOLICIT PIREPS AND BROADCAST THAT INFO. FAA ORDER 7110.65R; AMENDED BY N7110.441; SETS A DUTY PRIORITY FOR A CTLR TO ISSUE WX DATA DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR SCOPE TO PLTS IF IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR RTE OF FLT WILL TAKE THEM THROUGH THE DISPLAYED WX. SINCE OUR WX DISPLAY IS UNRELIABLE AT BEST; THIS TAKES UP VALUABLE TIME TO DISSEMINATE THIS INFO TO PLTS AND TAKES TIME AWAY FROM OTHER AREAS OF PRESSING SEPARATION CONCERNS. IF THE WX WE ARE DESCRIBING DOES NOT EXIST; THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR UNNECESSARY RADIO COMS WITH PLTS AS THEY QUESTION WHAT WE ARE SHOWING. THIS IS DISTRACTING AT BEST AND COULD LEAD TO OPERROR AND DEVS THAT COULD OCCUR WHILE THE CTLR IS DISTR BY PLTS' CONCERNS ABOUT WX HE HAS CALLED THAT IS NOT THERE. RECOMMENDATION: TURN NEXRAD WX OFF UNTIL A RELIABLE WX DISPLAY IS PUT IN ARTCC'S.

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.