Flight crew of medium large transport allegedly 5 mi north of course. VOR reported by ARTCC controll...

Attributes
ACN	115558
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	115558
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Approximately 40 mi east of psp, giving heading vector of 250 degree, asked reason for vector. Center stated 5 mi north of course. VOR indicated (both sides) less than 1/4 DOT north of course. Informed center of this. Answer was: VOR radial scallops. VOR did require heading hold rather than VOR/localizer to eliminate constant automatic corrections. But if in fact we were 5 mi north 40 mi out of station showing less than 1/4 DOT on both vors, then NAVAID is unsatisfactory.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ALLEGEDLY 5 MI NORTH OF COURSE. VOR REPORTED BY ARTCC CTLR AS SCALLOPING.

Narrative: APPROX 40 MI E OF PSP, GIVING HDG VECTOR OF 250 DEG, ASKED REASON FOR VECTOR. CENTER STATED 5 MI N OF COURSE. VOR INDICATED (BOTH SIDES) LESS THAN 1/4 DOT N OF COURSE. INFORMED CENTER OF THIS. ANSWER WAS: VOR RADIAL SCALLOPS. VOR DID REQUIRE HDG HOLD RATHER THAN VOR/LOC TO ELIMINATE CONSTANT AUTO CORRECTIONS. BUT IF IN FACT WE WERE 5 MI NORTH 40 MI OUT OF STATION SHOWING LESS THAN 1/4 DOT ON BOTH VORS, THEN NAVAID IS UNSATISFACTORY.

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.

Flight crew of medium large transport allegedly 5 mi north of course. VOR reported by ARTCC controller as scalloping.