Reporter claims new patch to the ARTS 2A program is generating false low altitude alert alarms and that an actual alarm might be ignored as another false alarm.

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Attributes
ACN	395173
Time
Date	199803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cae
State Reference	SC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 6 controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	395173
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Columbia recently installed a patch to our ARTS 2A computer. This patch is 'Q' to the A208 program dated jan/tue/98. The problem with the patch is that it is generating 'false' alarms for low altitude alerts. It is about to reach a point that controllers here will start ignoring the alarms thinking 'just another false alarm' when it could be an actual. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst called another ARTS 2A facility and learned that they are also receiving the false low alert alarms with no indication of when the problem would be corrected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS NEW PATCH TO THE ARTS 2A PROGRAM IS GENERATING FALSE LOW ALT ALERT ALARMS AND THAT AN ACTUAL ALARM MIGHT BE IGNORED AS ANOTHER FALSE ALARM.

Narrative: COLUMBIA RECENTLY INSTALLED A PATCH TO OUR ARTS 2A COMPUTER. THIS PATCH IS 'Q' TO THE A208 PROGRAM DATED JAN/TUE/98. THE PROB WITH THE PATCH IS THAT IT IS GENERATING 'FALSE' ALARMS FOR LOW ALT ALERTS. IT IS ABOUT TO REACH A POINT THAT CTLRS HERE WILL START IGNORING THE ALARMS THINKING 'JUST ANOTHER FALSE ALARM' WHEN IT COULD BE AN ACTUAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST CALLED ANOTHER ARTS 2A FACILITY AND LEARNED THAT THEY ARE ALSO RECEIVING THE FALSE LOW ALERT ALARMS WITH NO INDICATION OF WHEN THE PROB WOULD BE CORRECTED.

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.