Dfw tower background noise.

Attributes
ACN	180002
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	180002
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

When ground control would transmit, there was an excessive amount of noise in the background. This situation exists on many occasions at dfw tower. On many occasions I have heard screaming, loud laughter, clapping and whistling. Especially disturbing is the apparent social party going on in the background, with several people just laughing and talking loudly and having a good ol' time. It's so loud that the xmissions are unreadable and undistinguishable. Should not the ATC controller also be required to exercise some restraint in subject of discussion and by not distracting the active controllers? This is a continuing problem that does not seem to occur at other ATC facs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states this same problem has occurred about 10 times in the past yr. The reporter has not reported the problem to facility management. Reporter was advised the next time this problem happens to inform the facility manager. Reporter was informed the probable cause of the background noise was the controller not wearing a noise suppressor on the boom from his microphone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DFW TWR BACKGROUND NOISE.

Narrative: WHEN GND CTL WOULD XMIT, THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND. THIS SITUATION EXISTS ON MANY OCCASIONS AT DFW TWR. ON MANY OCCASIONS I HAVE HEARD SCREAMING, LOUD LAUGHTER, CLAPPING AND WHISTLING. ESPECIALLY DISTURBING IS THE APPARENT SOCIAL PARTY GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND, WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE JUST LAUGHING AND TALKING LOUDLY AND HAVING A GOOD OL' TIME. IT'S SO LOUD THAT THE XMISSIONS ARE UNREADABLE AND UNDISTINGUISHABLE. SHOULD NOT THE ATC CTLR ALSO BE REQUIRED TO EXERCISE SOME RESTRAINT IN SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION AND BY NOT DISTRACTING THE ACTIVE CTLRS? THIS IS A CONTINUING PROB THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR AT OTHER ATC FACS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THIS SAME PROB HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 10 TIMES IN THE PAST YR. THE RPTR HAS NOT RPTED THE PROB TO FAC MGMNT. RPTR WAS ADVISED THE NEXT TIME THIS PROB HAPPENS TO INFORM THE FAC MGR. RPTR WAS INFORMED THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE BACKGROUND NOISE WAS THE CTLR NOT WEARING A NOISE SUPPRESSOR ON THE BOOM FROM HIS MIC.

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.