A80 controller expressed concern regarding the conflict alert (ca) feature of the ARTS system noting...

Attributes
ACN	911696
Time
Date	201009
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	A80.TRACON
State Reference	GA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	SID THRSR
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	STAR HONIE SEVEN
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Departure
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 17 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types

Narrative:

Atlanta ARTS has a 'glitch' or something where the conflict alert (ca) will activate for a very short time; fractions of a second; but once activated; the ca 'horn' goes off for the entire preset time. Sometime the ca is for such a split second you can barely see the 'ca' in the data block before it disappears; but the 'horn' still goes off. Sometimes the aircraft 'conflicts' with itself; sometimes it's with another aircraft; sometimes it will go on; off; then right back on; providing multiple alerts. The result is that the ca 'horn' is heard so often that sometimes it becomes second nature; and could lead to complacency. Today it happened on dr-south about 10 southwest atl with air carrier X (atl departure climbing to 100) and air carrier Y (atl arrival descending to 110; worked by tar-H). I can see where the machine could have thought it was in conflict; but why did the 'ca' disappear? If the aircraft were in conflict; show the controller; but the 'ca' in the data block disappeared after about a quarter second.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 Controller expressed concern regarding the Conflict Alert (CA) feature of the ARTS system noting the audio and visual indications are erratic leading to controller complacency.

Narrative: Atlanta ARTS has a 'glitch' or something where the Conflict Alert (CA) will activate for a very short time; fractions of a second; but once activated; the CA 'horn' goes off for the entire preset time. Sometime the CA is for such a split second you can barely see the 'CA' in the data block before it disappears; but the 'horn' still goes off. Sometimes the aircraft 'conflicts' with itself; sometimes it's with another aircraft; sometimes it will go on; off; then right back on; providing multiple alerts. The result is that the CA 'horn' is heard so often that sometimes it becomes second nature; and could lead to complacency. Today it happened on DR-S about 10 southwest ATL with Air Carrier X (ATL departure climbing to 100) and Air Carrier Y (ATL arrival descending to 110; worked by TAR-H). I can see where the machine could have thought it was in conflict; but why did the 'CA' disappear? If the aircraft were in conflict; show the controller; but the 'CA' in the data block disappeared after about a quarter second.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A80 controller expressed concern regarding the conflict alert (ca) feature of the ARTS system noting the audio and visual indications are erratic leading to controller complacency.