ATC equipment problem communication landline produced loud tone while controller was coordinating.

Attributes
ACN	291112
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos tower : bos
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	291112
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working the orh sector at bdl TRACON, I was making an automated handoff to boston TRACON. I called on the boston blue (91) line. When the controller at boston answered the line, there was a loud (extremely) tone over the line. I immediately pulled my ear piece out until the tone went away. I asked the controller on the other end of the line if he heard the tone and he responded that he did. I immediately told the supervisor and he called boston approach and they related that they believed the tone occurred because boston has the icss communication system and 2 controllers answered the line at the same time. The tones on the line have been an ongoing occurrence at bdl. We have 1 controller with permanent hearing loss and during our last evaluation, one of the evaluators even received a tone. Some efforts are being made locally to track down the source of these tones but I believe it is more a national equipment problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB COM LANDLINE PRODUCED LOUD TONE WHILE CTLR WAS COORDINATING.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE ORH SECTOR AT BDL TRACON, I WAS MAKING AN AUTOMATED HDOF TO BOSTON TRACON. I CALLED ON THE BOSTON BLUE (91) LINE. WHEN THE CTLR AT BOSTON ANSWERED THE LINE, THERE WAS A LOUD (EXTREMELY) TONE OVER THE LINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED MY EAR PIECE OUT UNTIL THE TONE WENT AWAY. I ASKED THE CTLR ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE IF HE HEARD THE TONE AND HE RESPONDED THAT HE DID. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE SUPVR AND HE CALLED BOSTON APCH AND THEY RELATED THAT THEY BELIEVED THE TONE OCCURRED BECAUSE BOSTON HAS THE ICSS COM SYS AND 2 CTLRS ANSWERED THE LINE AT THE SAME TIME. THE TONES ON THE LINE HAVE BEEN AN ONGOING OCCURRENCE AT BDL. WE HAVE 1 CTLR WITH PERMANENT HEARING LOSS AND DURING OUR LAST EVALUATION, ONE OF THE EVALUATORS EVEN RECEIVED A TONE. SOME EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE LOCALLY TO TRACK DOWN THE SOURCE OF THESE TONES BUT I BELIEVE IT IS MORE A NATIONAL EQUIP PROB.

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.