Temporary mobile radar site does not provide adequate coverage.

Attributes
ACN	243018
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma
State Reference	FL
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 7
ASRS Report	243018
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Aug/92 hurricane andrew destroyed the primary radar facility in southern, fl. Shortly thereafter a mobile facility was brought on line (mobile en route radar facility - merf). The best guess for a new permanent facility was 1996. More than 3 ucr's were filed with the FAA regarding the merf's performance. Jun/xx/93 the merf took a lightning strike. It looks like months to replace the internal damage. The en route facility (ARTCC) is without any WX data or radar returns (primary or secondary). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says that the lightning strike problem has been taken care of. However, the radar is only capable of showing secondary radar, not primary targets. In addition, the WX presentation is non existent over water between mia and sjr. 2 ucr's have been filed by reporter with one of them closed. Facility feels that the current radar provides sufficient coverage until they can get new radar sometime in 1996 or 1997. This radar replaces the richmond radar and is located in the same vicinity. Reporter also states that it increases controller workload, and has limitations to the northeast at low altitude. There have been no operrors or deals yet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TEMPORARY MOBILE RADAR SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE COVERAGE.

Narrative: AUG/92 HURRICANE ANDREW DESTROYED THE PRIMARY RADAR FACILITY IN SOUTHERN, FL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER A MOBILE FACILITY WAS BROUGHT ON LINE (MOBILE ENRTE RADAR FACILITY - MERF). THE BEST GUESS FOR A NEW PERMANENT FACILITY WAS 1996. MORE THAN 3 UCR'S WERE FILED WITH THE FAA REGARDING THE MERF'S PERFORMANCE. JUN/XX/93 THE MERF TOOK A LIGHTNING STRIKE. IT LOOKS LIKE MONTHS TO REPLACE THE INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE ENRTE FACILITY (ARTCC) IS WITHOUT ANY WX DATA OR RADAR RETURNS (PRIMARY OR SECONDARY). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS THAT THE LIGHTNING STRIKE PROB HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. HOWEVER, THE RADAR IS ONLY CAPABLE OF SHOWING SECONDARY RADAR, NOT PRIMARY TARGETS. IN ADDITION, THE WX PRESENTATION IS NON EXISTENT OVER WATER BTWN MIA AND SJR. 2 UCR'S HAVE BEEN FILED BY RPTR WITH ONE OF THEM CLOSED. FACILITY FEELS THAT THE CURRENT RADAR PROVIDES SUFFICIENT COVERAGE UNTIL THEY CAN GET NEW RADAR SOMETIME IN 1996 OR 1997. THIS RADAR REPLACES THE RICHMOND RADAR AND IS LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY. RPTR ALSO STATES THAT IT INCREASES CTLR WORKLOAD, AND HAS LIMITATIONS TO THE NE AT LOW ALT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OPERRORS OR DEALS YET.

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.