ATC equipment problem radar d-brite tower radar unusable during heavy rain.

Attributes
ACN	320254
Time
Date	199511
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm
State Reference	AL
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	320254
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

D-BRITE signal is microwaved from ASR-9. During rain d- BRITE is unusable due to signal loss. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the radar is microwaved between mxf to a building downtown, then microwaved to mgm. When heavy rain occurs between the building and mgm, the d-brite becomes unusable. This has been going on for at least 4 yrs. Facility manager stated this has been a problem, but airways facility person says it will be solved when the tower moves into a new tower in 6 months. Manager sees this as a limitation and not a problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR D-BRITE TWR RADAR UNUSABLE DURING HVY RAIN.

Narrative: D-BRITE SIGNAL IS MICROWAVED FROM ASR-9. DURING RAIN D- BRITE IS UNUSABLE DUE TO SIGNAL LOSS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE RADAR IS MICROWAVED BTWN MXF TO A BUILDING DOWNTOWN, THEN MICROWAVED TO MGM. WHEN HVY RAIN OCCURS BTWN THE BUILDING AND MGM, THE D-BRITE BECOMES UNUSABLE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 4 YRS. FACILITY MGR STATED THIS HAS BEEN A PROB, BUT AIRWAYS FACILITY PERSON SAYS IT WILL BE SOLVED WHEN THE TWR MOVES INTO A NEW TWR IN 6 MONTHS. MGR SEES THIS AS A LIMITATION AND NOT A 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.