Narrative:

This is my second report filed today on a squelch break. The problem had not been resolved in 2 hours time. I was working final control for runway 27L between XA50-XB15 local during a major push. The squelch break and static was so bad that I advised all pilots on frequency 118.35 to read back their instructions and to identify for acknowledgment. I could only understand about 50 percent of all readbacks. The whole situation was very unnerving and approached the point of unsafe if you consider a controller working a final at atl missing half the pilot readbacks. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated this was an isolated incident. FAA maintenance was on the problem right away. The airport was having high winds and caused an insulator to loosen on a power pole close to receiver antenna. Reporter commended maintenance for response to problem. Supplemental information from acn 258958: I was working departure south position when the frequencys started clicking. First on 121.5 then over all frequencys at the position. Eventually, all aircraft xmissions were blocked by noise on the position. Maintenance said it was a problem with the antennas at the transmitter site. Aircraft said they did not hear any interference on the radio at all, however, my position became almost unusable due to the frequency bleedover. Several aircraft readbacks were missed and I had to ask for a second readback. The problem started to get better just as I was going to stop departures. This was very unsafe and uncomfortable!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC RADIO EQUIP PROB RECEIVERS.

Narrative: THIS IS MY SECOND RPT FILED TODAY ON A SQUELCH BREAK. THE PROB HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED IN 2 HRS TIME. I WAS WORKING FINAL CTL FOR RWY 27L BTWN XA50-XB15 LCL DURING A MAJOR PUSH. THE SQUELCH BREAK AND STATIC WAS SO BAD THAT I ADVISED ALL PLTS ON FREQ 118.35 TO READ BACK THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND TO IDENT FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT. I COULD ONLY UNDERSTAND ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF ALL READBACKS. THE WHOLE SIT WAS VERY UNNERVING AND APCHED THE POINT OF UNSAFE IF YOU CONSIDER A CTLR WORKING A FINAL AT ATL MISSING HALF THE PLT READBACKS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. FAA MAINT WAS ON THE PROB RIGHT AWAY. THE ARPT WAS HAVING HIGH WINDS AND CAUSED AN INSULATOR TO LOOSEN ON A PWR POLE CLOSE TO RECEIVER ANTENNA. RPTR COMMENDED MAINT FOR RESPONSE TO PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 258958: I WAS WORKING DEP S POS WHEN THE FREQS STARTED CLICKING. FIRST ON 121.5 THEN OVER ALL FREQS AT THE POS. EVENTUALLY, ALL ACFT XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED BY NOISE ON THE POS. MAINT SAID IT WAS A PROB WITH THE ANTENNAS AT THE XMITTER SITE. ACFT SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR ANY INTERFERENCE ON THE RADIO AT ALL, HOWEVER, MY POS BECAME ALMOST UNUSABLE DUE TO THE FREQ BLEEDOVER. SEVERAL ACFT READBACKS WERE MISSED AND I HAD TO ASK FOR A SECOND READBACK. THE PROB STARTED TO GET BETTER JUST AS I WAS GOING TO STOP DEPS. THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE AND UNCOMFORTABLE!

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.