Narrative:

Problems with radar coverage at roc ATCT airspace involve safety and may cause or contribute to accidents and/or incidents. We (the controllers) have filed an unsatisfactory condition report concerning this issue. More often than not, we are forced to work aircraft that are not being tracked by our radar due to the fact of the poor radar coverage in most quadrants of our airspace. When this happens we are unable to provide the radar services to these aircraft. The controllers have documented more than 100 occurrences from early may to late june. During our ASR-9 optimization, the independent contractors suggested that our antenna be raised. This action should alleviate most or all of the radar coverage problems. We recently received information that the FAA has determined to make a nonrule making study of this problem. If it is decided to raise the antenna it could take up to 8 yrs to complete the process due to budgetary constraints for 5 yrs and construction of a new antenna tower 3 yrs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicates that to his knowledge, there have been no changes to the time interval stated in the report to complete adjustments to the radar antenna.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR ANTENNA HT ADJUSTMENT TO CORRECT FOR INADEQUATE RADAR COVERAGE.

Narrative: PROBS WITH RADAR COVERAGE AT ROC ATCT AIRSPACE INVOLVE SAFETY AND MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO ACCIDENTS AND/OR INCIDENTS. WE (THE CTLRS) HAVE FILED AN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPT CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE ARE FORCED TO WORK ACFT THAT ARE NOT BEING TRACKED BY OUR RADAR DUE TO THE FACT OF THE POOR RADAR COVERAGE IN MOST QUADRANTS OF OUR AIRSPACE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE RADAR SVCS TO THESE ACFT. THE CTLRS HAVE DOCUMENTED MORE THAN 100 OCCURRENCES FROM EARLY MAY TO LATE JUNE. DURING OUR ASR-9 OPTIMIZATION, THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS SUGGESTED THAT OUR ANTENNA BE RAISED. THIS ACTION SHOULD ALLEVIATE MOST OR ALL OF THE RADAR COVERAGE PROBS. WE RECENTLY RECEIVED INFO THAT THE FAA HAS DETERMINED TO MAKE A NONRULE MAKING STUDY OF THIS PROB. IF IT IS DECIDED TO RAISE THE ANTENNA IT COULD TAKE UP TO 8 YRS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS DUE TO BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS FOR 5 YRS AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ANTENNA TWR 3 YRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATES THAT TO HIS KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES TO THE TIME INTERVAL STATED IN THE RPT TO COMPLETE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RADAR ANTENNA.

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.