ZLA controller expressed concern regarding nexrad WX equipment limitations and functionality.

Attributes
ACN	743779
Time
Date	200706
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zla.airport
State Reference	CA
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 30 controller time certified in position1 : 20
ASRS Report	743779
Events
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

The nexrad WX displays more intense and larger areas of WX in an altitude filtered band than is seen in an unfiltered band. That is impossible. If it available is a smaller (filtered) band it has to be available unfiltered. Also the opposite has been observed where more intense and areas of WX are observed unfiltered that is not displayed in any other filtered band again impossible. There is no way to anyone to be able to validate what was on the controller's display at the time of an aircraft accident/incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZLA CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING NEXRAD WX EQUIP LIMITATIONS AND FUNCTIONALITY.

Narrative: THE NEXRAD WX DISPLAYS MORE INTENSE AND LARGER AREAS OF WX IN AN ALT FILTERED BAND THAN IS SEEN IN AN UNFILTERED BAND. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. IF IT AVAILABLE IS A SMALLER (FILTERED) BAND IT HAS TO BE AVAILABLE UNFILTERED. ALSO THE OPPOSITE HAS BEEN OBSERVED WHERE MORE INTENSE AND AREAS OF WX ARE OBSERVED UNFILTERED THAT IS NOT DISPLAYED IN ANY OTHER FILTERED BAND AGAIN IMPOSSIBLE. THERE IS NO WAY TO ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO VALIDATE WHAT WAS ON THE CTLR'S DISPLAY AT THE TIME OF AN ACFT ACCIDENT/INCIDENT.

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.