Relocation of radio antenna's caused blind spots with ATC communication on airport.

Attributes
ACN	296759
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	296759
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Since the transmitter/receiver site was relocated 2 yrs ago, from a mid-field location, to a site south of the airport we have experienced blind spots on the airport. Several areas on the field, including runways and taxiway/runway intxns have been idented. As having a blind spot. There have been numerous incidents in which ATC has been forced to use another aircraft to relay control instructions for runway xings. Additionally, there have been other incidents in which communications were lost with aircraft in position. These blind spots have been documented and passed to the regional office, however, it does not appear to be a high priority item. If this is not corrected, the consequences could be tragic. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the antennas were relocated about 2 yrs ago. Ucr was filed and the hot line was called. FAA tiger team investigated in oct/xx/94 and confirmed the problem. Reporter said the atm said FAA af sector stated it would take 3 yrs to correct the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RELOCATION OF RADIO ANTENNA'S CAUSED BLIND SPOTS WITH ATC COM ON ARPT.

Narrative: SINCE THE XMITTER/RECEIVER SITE WAS RELOCATED 2 YRS AGO, FROM A MID-FIELD LOCATION, TO A SITE S OF THE ARPT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED BLIND SPOTS ON THE ARPT. SEVERAL AREAS ON THE FIELD, INCLUDING RWYS AND TXWY/RWY INTXNS HAVE BEEN IDENTED. AS HAVING A BLIND SPOT. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS IN WHICH ATC HAS BEEN FORCED TO USE ANOTHER ACFT TO RELAY CTL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RWY XINGS. ADDITIONALLY, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS IN WHICH COMS WERE LOST WITH ACFT IN POS. THESE BLIND SPOTS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED AND PASSED TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM. IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE TRAGIC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE ANTENNAS WERE RELOCATED ABOUT 2 YRS AGO. UCR WAS FILED AND THE HOT LINE WAS CALLED. FAA TIGER TEAM INVESTIGATED IN OCT/XX/94 AND CONFIRMED THE PROB. RPTR SAID THE ATM SAID FAA AF SECTOR STATED IT WOULD TAKE 3 YRS TO CORRECT THE 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.