Narrative:

I was assigned the local control #2 position at the start of my shift. Memphis was in a north confign; landing runway 36C; runway 36L and runway 36R. Runway 27 was released to ground control for taxi and crossing purposes. After receiving a position relief briefing; I started to set-up and check all of the equipment associated with my position. Part of my routine is to check all radios and frequencys assigned to my position. I selected and tested the main and standby transmitters and receivers; selected and tested the portable battery operated transceiver; then selected and tested the orange bypass jack in the event of a total etvs failure. I was instructed that in the event of an etvs failure; all that I needed to do was unplug from the main headset jack; and then plug into the orange bypass jack at my control position. After attempting several unsuccessful radio checks with different aircraft while utilizing the orange bypass jack; I informed the tower supervisor that this piece of equipment was OTS. This piece of equipment has been OTS for over 4 weeks. During this timeframe; I tested the orange bypass jack each and every day that I worked at the local control #2 position. The orange bypass jack has been OTS each time that I tested it. Additionally; I notified a member mem management about this outage. The orange bypass jacks are important safety/backup components to our communications system at the tower and TRACON. ATC controllers need to know that our backup equipment will work in the event of an emergency; and we need to know that FAA management will do whatever it takes to repair faulty or broken equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEM TWR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE EXTENDED FAILURE OF THE BACK-UP BYPASS JACK FOR RADIO COM.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED THE LCL CTL #2 POS AT THE START OF MY SHIFT. MEMPHIS WAS IN A N CONFIGN; LNDG RWY 36C; RWY 36L AND RWY 36R. RWY 27 WAS RELEASED TO GND CTL FOR TAXI AND XING PURPOSES. AFTER RECEIVING A POS RELIEF BRIEFING; I STARTED TO SET-UP AND CHK ALL OF THE EQUIP ASSOCIATED WITH MY POS. PART OF MY ROUTINE IS TO CHK ALL RADIOS AND FREQS ASSIGNED TO MY POS. I SELECTED AND TESTED THE MAIN AND STANDBY XMITTERS AND RECEIVERS; SELECTED AND TESTED THE PORTABLE BATTERY OPERATED TRANSCEIVER; THEN SELECTED AND TESTED THE ORANGE BYPASS JACK IN THE EVENT OF A TOTAL ETVS FAILURE. I WAS INSTRUCTED THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ETVS FAILURE; ALL THAT I NEEDED TO DO WAS UNPLUG FROM THE MAIN HEADSET JACK; AND THEN PLUG INTO THE ORANGE BYPASS JACK AT MY CTL POS. AFTER ATTEMPTING SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL RADIO CHKS WITH DIFFERENT ACFT WHILE UTILIZING THE ORANGE BYPASS JACK; I INFORMED THE TWR SUPVR THAT THIS PIECE OF EQUIP WAS OTS. THIS PIECE OF EQUIP HAS BEEN OTS FOR OVER 4 WKS. DURING THIS TIMEFRAME; I TESTED THE ORANGE BYPASS JACK EACH AND EVERY DAY THAT I WORKED AT THE LCL CTL #2 POS. THE ORANGE BYPASS JACK HAS BEEN OTS EACH TIME THAT I TESTED IT. ADDITIONALLY; I NOTIFIED A MEMBER MEM MGMNT ABOUT THIS OUTAGE. THE ORANGE BYPASS JACKS ARE IMPORTANT SAFETY/BACKUP COMPONENTS TO OUR COMS SYS AT THE TWR AND TRACON. ATC CTLRS NEED TO KNOW THAT OUR BACKUP EQUIP WILL WORK IN THE EVENT OF AN EMER; AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT FAA MGMNT WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO REPAIR FAULTY OR BROKEN EQUIP.

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.