Narrative:

ASR 9 loss of primary radar several times over period of time. Example: loss of radar for 15-20 seconds, return of radar for 1 min, repeat cycle. This is becoming very common. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the ASR 9 was installed at aus in june/91. He stated most of the bugs have been worked out. The facility has a new manager that asked for time to address the problem. No ucr has been filed. Problem: the primary radar will quit but ARTS data tag's remain. This will happen twice then the radar will work fine for a couple of hours and the cycle will happen again. Another problem is that aus will not receive mode C from some aircraft yet adjacent facilities do. Reporter stated facility maintenance said they thought another facility had this problem and they were waiting for them to solve the problem. Follow-up callback 5/xx/92. Reporter stated facility maintenance replaced (something) in 1 of the ASR channels and they are now receiving mode C and not having the momentary radar failures. The reporter had heard second hand that maintenance had said somebody else was working on the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS TRACON ATC EQUIP PROBLEM RADAR ASR 9. LOSS OF PRIMARY RADAR ARTS DATA TAGS REMAIN.

Narrative: ASR 9 LOSS OF PRIMARY RADAR SEVERAL TIMES OVER PERIOD OF TIME. EXAMPLE: LOSS OF RADAR FOR 15-20 SECONDS, RETURN OF RADAR FOR 1 MIN, REPEAT CYCLE. THIS IS BECOMING VERY COMMON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE ASR 9 WAS INSTALLED AT AUS IN JUNE/91. HE STATED MOST OF THE BUGS HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT. THE FACILITY HAS A NEW MGR THAT ASKED FOR TIME TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. NO UCR HAS BEEN FILED. PROBLEM: THE PRIMARY RADAR WILL QUIT BUT ARTS DATA TAG'S REMAIN. THIS WILL HAPPEN TWICE THEN THE RADAR WILL WORK FINE FOR A COUPLE OF HRS AND THE CYCLE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT AUS WILL NOT RECEIVE MODE C FROM SOME ACFT YET ADJACENT FACILITIES DO. RPTR STATED FACILITY MAINT SAID THEY THOUGHT ANOTHER FACILITY HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WERE WAITING FOR THEM TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. FOLLOW-UP CALLBACK 5/XX/92. RPTR STATED FACILITY MAINT REPLACED (SOMETHING) IN 1 OF THE ASR CHANNELS AND THEY ARE NOW RECEIVING MODE C AND NOT HAVING THE MOMENTARY RADAR FAILURES. THE RPTR HAD HEARD SECOND HAND THAT MAINT HAD SAID SOMEBODY ELSE WAS WORKING ON THE PROBLEM.

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.