Narrative:

On the date above I was conducting OJT at a radar position. At approximately XX0B local time we lost our primary sector frequency! I repeated this to the area supervisor and we went to our secondary frequency. At approximately XX27 local time our secondary frequency began to fail! I yelled over to the supervisor at approximately XX32 that we were losing 126.25. He came over and told me that that was the frequency he had reported out 25 mins ago! During the tie I was discussing the problem and the necessity to do something my trnee issued a descent clearance to an aircraft which resulted subsequently in a loss of standard sep! I believe that since my attention was justifiably diverted from my trnee, the direct cause of this error was faulty equipment. The horrendous state of our operating frequencys is well known, yet the federal govt is not moving to improve this equipment. The simple solution is reliable equipment! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated the aircraft involved in this incident were an medium large transport and large transport. The medium large transport was descending. 2 frequencys were being used at the sector and a super-high sector was combined to his sector. The initial frequency problem was with the super-high sector. They were using the primary frequency when it started to act up. Controller and area supervisor were not communicating on which frequency was bad. Controller's attention was on the frequency miscom with the supervisor when the developmental issued the descent clearance. Controller never heard the C/a. Developmental controller told the controller about the error. Controller has filed a ucr on the sector frequency problem. Management says the problem has been fixed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT WAS DESCENDED THROUGH AN ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT WHICH RESULTED IN A LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ON THE DATE ABOVE I WAS CONDUCTING OJT AT A RADAR POS. AT APPROX XX0B LCL TIME WE LOST OUR PRIMARY SECTOR FREQ! I REPEATED THIS TO THE AREA SUPVR AND WE WENT TO OUR SECONDARY FREQ. AT APPROX XX27 LCL TIME OUR SECONDARY FREQ BEGAN TO FAIL! I YELLED OVER TO THE SUPVR AT APPROX XX32 THAT WE WERE LOSING 126.25. HE CAME OVER AND TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS THE FREQ HE HAD RPTED OUT 25 MINS AGO! DURING THE TIE I WAS DISCUSSING THE PROB AND THE NECESSITY TO DO SOMETHING MY TRNEE ISSUED A DSNT CLRNC TO AN ACFT WHICH RESULTED SUBSEQUENTLY IN A LOSS OF STANDARD SEP! I BELIEVE THAT SINCE MY ATTN WAS JUSTIFIABLY DIVERTED FROM MY TRNEE, THE DIRECT CAUSE OF THIS ERROR WAS FAULTY EQUIP. THE HORRENDOUS STATE OF OUR OPERATING FREQS IS WELL KNOWN, YET THE FEDERAL GOVT IS NOT MOVING TO IMPROVE THIS EQUIP. THE SIMPLE SOLUTION IS RELIABLE EQUIP! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT WERE AN MLG AND LGT. THE MLG WAS DSNDING. 2 FREQS WERE BEING USED AT THE SECTOR AND A SUPER-HIGH SECTOR WAS COMBINED TO HIS SECTOR. THE INITIAL FREQ PROB WAS WITH THE SUPER-HIGH SECTOR. THEY WERE USING THE PRIMARY FREQ WHEN IT STARTED TO ACT UP. CTLR AND AREA SUPVR WERE NOT COMMUNICATING ON WHICH FREQ WAS BAD. CTLR'S ATTN WAS ON THE FREQ MISCOM WITH THE SUPVR WHEN THE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUED THE DSNT CLRNC. CTLR NEVER HEARD THE C/A. DEVELOPMENTAL CTLR TOLD THE CTLR ABOUT THE ERROR. CTLR HAS FILED A UCR ON THE SECTOR FREQ PROB. MGMNT SAYS THE PROB HAS BEEN FIXED.

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