Narrative:

At XX16 pm all radar scopes went blank. Within 30 seconds the scopes came back on, however all data tags were in coast and the radar was not working. Because of the loss of trigger we lost both 'a' and 'B' scip channel on our ASR-9 system, according to radar technicians. Cenrap was up and running within a min. Channel 'B' scip came back up, but channel 'a' did not. This allowed us to go to cenrap while they did some troubleshooting on the radar system. This is the 4TH time in 4 months we have had a radar outage -- see NASA reports for may/thu/97, jun/wed/97, aug/wed/97, and now sep/wed/97. There must be a problem somewhere and we are afraid that it's going to take a major crash (midair) before something is done. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated in the callback that there have been a total of 8 failures since moving into their new building in february. Reporter feels that channel 'a' is part of the problem since any involvement with this channel seems to cause both channels to fail. Reporter alleges it might also have something to do with the power source and ups for the new building as they did not have the problem prior to moving from the old location. Reporter alleges that the radar technicians do not know what to do to resolve the problem and have not sought help from outside the facility. Reporter indicated that air traffic management has elevated the problem to the regional office. Reporter is unaware of any action by the regional office.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED SIT IN WHICH BOTH CHANNELS OF THE ASR-9 RADAR HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES IN 4 MONTHS. RPTR ALLEGES THAT THE RADAR TECHNICIANS DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSES THE FAILURE. IT WAS RPTED THAT THE BACK UP RADAR -- CENRAP -- WAS UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A MIN OF THE LATEST FAILURE.

Narrative: AT XX16 PM ALL RADAR SCOPES WENT BLANK. WITHIN 30 SECONDS THE SCOPES CAME BACK ON, HOWEVER ALL DATA TAGS WERE IN COAST AND THE RADAR WAS NOT WORKING. BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF TRIGGER WE LOST BOTH 'A' AND 'B' SCIP CHANNEL ON OUR ASR-9 SYS, ACCORDING TO RADAR TECHNICIANS. CENRAP WAS UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A MIN. CHANNEL 'B' SCIP CAME BACK UP, BUT CHANNEL 'A' DID NOT. THIS ALLOWED US TO GO TO CENRAP WHILE THEY DID SOME TROUBLESHOOTING ON THE RADAR SYS. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IN 4 MONTHS WE HAVE HAD A RADAR OUTAGE -- SEE NASA RPTS FOR MAY/THU/97, JUN/WED/97, AUG/WED/97, AND NOW SEP/WED/97. THERE MUST BE A PROB SOMEWHERE AND WE ARE AFRAID THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MAJOR CRASH (MIDAIR) BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED IN THE CALLBACK THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 8 FAILURES SINCE MOVING INTO THEIR NEW BUILDING IN FEBRUARY. RPTR FEELS THAT CHANNEL 'A' IS PART OF THE PROB SINCE ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH THIS CHANNEL SEEMS TO CAUSE BOTH CHANNELS TO FAIL. RPTR ALLEGES IT MIGHT ALSO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PWR SOURCE AND UPS FOR THE NEW BUILDING AS THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PROB PRIOR TO MOVING FROM THE OLD LOCATION. RPTR ALLEGES THAT THE RADAR TECHNICIANS DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO RESOLVE THE PROB AND HAVE NOT SOUGHT HELP FROM OUTSIDE THE FACILITY. RPTR INDICATED THAT AIR TFC MGMNT HAS ELEVATED THE PROB TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE. RPTR IS UNAWARE OF ANY ACTION BY THE REGIONAL OFFICE.

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.