WX reporting equipment problem ASOS inaccurate WX report.

Attributes
ACN	306975
Time
Date	199506
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ipt
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	306975
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Nice summer day. WX service on the field (NWS) reporting the following WX: sp 0x49 27 scattered M41 overcast 7 3207/979/binovc, sa 0x51 30 scattered M70 ovst 7 091/78/68/3610/981 ovsct V broken. However, ASOS was reporting the following WX: 0x15 tp 1412 A02A 17 scattered 25 scattered M30 broken 75-M/M/M/3206/977 broken V scattered, 0x59 TA 1456 A02A 24 scattered 33 scattered M70 broken 75-M/M/M/3406/979. I circled the discrepancies in red. I hear there is a report done by one WX observer on just how bad this system really is! So why is the FAA and the government pushing it so hard. This unit at williamsport is scheduled to be commissioned july/xx/95. But there are still problems with the whole system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WX RPTING EQUIP PROB ASOS INACCURATE WX RPT.

Narrative: NICE SUMMER DAY. WX SVC ON THE FIELD (NWS) RPTING THE FOLLOWING WX: SP 0X49 27 SCATTERED M41 OVCST 7 3207/979/BINOVC, SA 0X51 30 SCATTERED M70 OVST 7 091/78/68/3610/981 OVSCT V BROKEN. HOWEVER, ASOS WAS RPTING THE FOLLOWING WX: 0X15 TP 1412 A02A 17 SCATTERED 25 SCATTERED M30 BROKEN 75-M/M/M/3206/977 BROKEN V SCATTERED, 0X59 TA 1456 A02A 24 SCATTERED 33 SCATTERED M70 BROKEN 75-M/M/M/3406/979. I CIRCLED THE DISCREPANCIES IN RED. I HEAR THERE IS A RPT DONE BY ONE WX OBSERVER ON JUST HOW BAD THIS SYS REALLY IS! SO WHY IS THE FAA AND THE GOV PUSHING IT SO HARD. THIS UNIT AT WILLIAMSPORT IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMMISSIONED JULY/XX/95. BUT THERE ARE STILL PROBS WITH THE WHOLE SYS.

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.