Narrative:

There is an on-going radio interference issue at gfk on 118.4. This interference has been occurring nightly after ATCT hours of operations for several months. This interference can be heard as static or clicking noises on ground vehicle radios. The pilot controlled lighting system on 118.4 is interpreting this noise or clicking as microphone clicks and causing the pilot controlled lighting to cycle runway lighting up and/or down in intensity. Airport snow plow operators never know whether an aircraft is inbound and switching the runway lights via the pilot controlled lighting or it is just the on-going interference. This is a safety concern for airport ground vehicles and aircraft that may be relying on the pilot controlled lighting system. The pilot controlled lighting system has been checked for correct operation.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that FAA technicians discovered the RF interference emanated from the airport's remote advisory service. The random runway lighting issue was solved when this equipment was disconnected. A new directive prohibits remote advisory services on an airport's pilot controlled lighting frequency and so gfk's remote advisory service will not be restored. However; airport maintenance crews are now exposed to ground collision hazards from aircraft during nighttime snow removal operations if pilots do not utilize CTAF procedures and properly notify others in the airport area about their intentions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPURIOUS RF ON GFK PCL FREQUENCY FROM REMOTE ADVISORY EQUIP. REMOVAL OF REMOTE ADVISORY SERVICE EXPOSES GND CREW TO POTENTIAL CONFLICT DURING RWY SNOW REMOVAL.

Narrative: THERE IS AN ON-GOING RADIO INTERFERENCE ISSUE AT GFK ON 118.4. THIS INTERFERENCE HAS BEEN OCCURRING NIGHTLY AFTER ATCT HOURS OF OPERATIONS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THIS INTERFERENCE CAN BE HEARD AS STATIC OR CLICKING NOISES ON GROUND VEHICLE RADIOS. THE PCL SYSTEM ON 118.4 IS INTERPRETING THIS NOISE OR CLICKING AS MICROPHONE CLICKS AND CAUSING THE PCL TO CYCLE RUNWAY LIGHTING UP AND/OR DOWN IN INTENSITY. AIRPORT SNOW PLOW OPERATORS NEVER KNOW WHETHER AN AIRCRAFT IS INBOUND AND SWITCHING THE RUNWAY LIGHTS VIA THE PCL OR IT IS JUST THE ON-GOING INTERFERENCE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR AIRPORT GROUND VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT THAT MAY BE RELYING ON THE PCL SYSTEM. THE PCL SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR CORRECT OPERATION.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT FAA TECHNICIANS DISCOVERED THE RF INTERFERENCE EMANATED FROM THE AIRPORT'S REMOTE ADVISORY SERVICE. THE RANDOM RWY LIGHTING ISSUE WAS SOLVED WHEN THIS EQUIPMENT WAS DISCONNECTED. A NEW DIRECTIVE PROHIBITS REMOTE ADVISORY SERVICES ON AN AIRPORT'S PCL FREQUENCY AND SO GFK'S REMOTE ADVISORY SERVICE WILL NOT BE RESTORED. HOWEVER; AIRPORT MAINTENANCE CREWS ARE NOW EXPOSED TO GND COLLISION HAZARDS FROM ACFT DURING NIGHTTIME SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS IF PILOTS DO NOT UTILIZE CTAF PROCEDURES AND PROPERLY NOTIFY OTHERS IN THE AIRPORT AREA ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.