ATC equipment problem radios.

Attributes
ACN	261990
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bhm
State Reference	AL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm tracon : atl
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 7 controller supervisory : 1
ASRS Report	261990
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

Narrative:

Bhm has chronic frequency problems ranging from poor reception, xtalk, interference, complete and unexpected outages to total failure at the worst possible times. Controllers are frequently required to make radio checks with airborne aircraft after maintenance has been accomplished. These outages and unreliability of service coupled with the continuous need to make follow-up checks creates a distraction to controllers and has the potential to be unsafe. This is a disturbing situation that needs attention badly. We need a new tower and new equipment at bhm. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the transmitter problem is chronic. The facility is scheduled for new icss equipment at a later date. The reporter stated not all frequencys have backup equipment at the position if the transmitter fails. The reporter stated that primary frequencys for position are changed every other day and pilots have asked 'what frequency are we going to use today.' reporter sees this as an unsafe condition because of the frequency failures during critical ATC operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADIOS.

Narrative: BHM HAS CHRONIC FREQ PROBS RANGING FROM POOR RECEPTION, XTALK, INTERFERENCE, COMPLETE AND UNEXPECTED OUTAGES TO TOTAL FAILURE AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIMES. CTLRS ARE FREQUENTLY REQUIRED TO MAKE RADIO CHKS WITH AIRBORNE ACFT AFTER MAINT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THESE OUTAGES AND UNRELIABILITY OF SVC COUPLED WITH THE CONTINUOUS NEED TO MAKE FOLLOW-UP CHKS CREATES A DISTR TO CTLRS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE UNSAFE. THIS IS A DISTURBING SIT THAT NEEDS ATTN BADLY. WE NEED A NEW TWR AND NEW EQUIP AT BHM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE XMITTER PROB IS CHRONIC. THE FACILITY IS SCHEDULED FOR NEW ICSS EQUIP AT A LATER DATE. THE RPTR STATED NOT ALL FREQS HAVE BACKUP EQUIP AT THE POS IF THE XMITTER FAILS. THE RPTR STATED THAT PRIMARY FREQS FOR POS ARE CHANGED EVERY OTHER DAY AND PLTS HAVE ASKED 'WHAT FREQ ARE WE GOING TO USE TODAY.' RPTR SEES THIS AS AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE FREQ FAILURES DURING CRITICAL ATC OPS.

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.