Narrative:

Unnecessary radio xmissions on ATC frequencys at chs create safety hazards. The problem involves xmissions from air force personnel primarily on ground control frequencys (although other ATC frequencys are sometimes used). These xmissions concern radio checks from mlt aircraft. On 1/sun/89 these xmissions caused a situation which could have resulted in an accident or operational error. I was working all functions in the facility combined at the local control position. These functions included east and west arrival and departure control, local control, ground control and clearance delivery. 12 frequencys were used at one time in one speaker. During this period of time the traffic situation was complex. The ARTS ii was OTS. At one time traffic included 2 aircraft overflying the airport plus an mlt and an medium large transport being vectored for landing on runway 15. Because the ARTS was OTS all coordination was done via voice communications. This included accepting radar handoffs on the arriving aircraft and making handoffs on the departing aircraft. During this time personnel in local mlt aircraft were calling ground control on 121.9 and 348.6 for radio checks. Their xmissions caused interference with ATC operations to the extent that it was necessary to turn off radio receivers for both ground control frequencys. Controllers have cited the dangers posed by the xmissions yet air force personnel continue using ATC frequencys unnecessarily. I hope that, through the NASA safety reporting system, all non ATC use of ATC frequencys can be ended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NUMEROUS RADIO CHECKS BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL ON TWR FREQ INTERFERE WITH ATC OPERATIONS.

Narrative: UNNECESSARY RADIO XMISSIONS ON ATC FREQS AT CHS CREATE SAFETY HAZARDS. THE PROB INVOLVES XMISSIONS FROM AIR FORCE PERSONNEL PRIMARILY ON GND CTL FREQS (ALTHOUGH OTHER ATC FREQS ARE SOMETIMES USED). THESE XMISSIONS CONCERN RADIO CHKS FROM MLT ACFT. ON 1/SUN/89 THESE XMISSIONS CAUSED A SITUATION WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT OR OPERROR. I WAS WORKING ALL FUNCTIONS IN THE FAC COMBINED AT THE LCL CTL POS. THESE FUNCTIONS INCLUDED E AND W ARR AND DEP CTL, LCL CTL, GND CTL AND CLRNC DELIVERY. 12 FREQS WERE USED AT ONE TIME IN ONE SPEAKER. DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME THE TFC SITUATION WAS COMPLEX. THE ARTS II WAS OTS. AT ONE TIME TFC INCLUDED 2 ACFT OVERFLYING THE ARPT PLUS AN MLT AND AN MLG BEING VECTORED FOR LNDG ON RWY 15. BECAUSE THE ARTS WAS OTS ALL COORD WAS DONE VIA VOICE COMS. THIS INCLUDED ACCEPTING RADAR HDOFS ON THE ARRIVING ACFT AND MAKING HDOFS ON THE DEPARTING ACFT. DURING THIS TIME PERSONNEL IN LCL MLT ACFT WERE CALLING GND CTL ON 121.9 AND 348.6 FOR RADIO CHKS. THEIR XMISSIONS CAUSED INTERFERENCE WITH ATC OPS TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO TURN OFF RADIO RECEIVERS FOR BOTH GND CTL FREQS. CTLRS HAVE CITED THE DANGERS POSED BY THE XMISSIONS YET AIR FORCE PERSONNEL CONTINUE USING ATC FREQS UNNECESSARILY. I HOPE THAT, THROUGH THE NASA SAFETY RPTING SYS, ALL NON ATC USE OF ATC FREQS CAN BE ENDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.