Since relocation upgraded in 1996, ASR-8 at abi TRACON has had ongoing maintenance problems.

Attributes
ACN	404918
Time
Date	199806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abi
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 10 controller radar : 7 controller supervisory : 4
ASRS Report	404918
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

In early apr/96, our radar was relocated from dyess AFB to abilene airport and upgraded to an ASR-8/mode south. From this time to present we have had a big problem with beacon targets dropping, not acquiring and at times completely dropping out of the system. This creates an extremely unsafe condition, especially when you have several aircraft dropping at the same time. The beacons drop in all quadrants of the airspace and at all altitudes. Half of your inbounds will either coast or non-ARTS track until well inside your airspace. It seems to get worse as more time goes by.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINCE RELOCATION UPGRADED IN 1996, ASR-8 AT ABI TRACON HAS HAD ONGOING MAINT PROBS.

Narrative: IN EARLY APR/96, OUR RADAR WAS RELOCATED FROM DYESS AFB TO ABILENE ARPT AND UPGRADED TO AN ASR-8/MODE S. FROM THIS TIME TO PRESENT WE HAVE HAD A BIG PROB WITH BEACON TARGETS DROPPING, NOT ACQUIRING AND AT TIMES COMPLETELY DROPPING OUT OF THE SYS. THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SEVERAL ACFT DROPPING AT THE SAME TIME. THE BEACONS DROP IN ALL QUADRANTS OF THE AIRSPACE AND AT ALL ALTS. HALF OF YOUR INBOUNDS WILL EITHER COAST OR NON-ARTS TRACK UNTIL WELL INSIDE YOUR AIRSPACE. IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE AS MORE TIME GOES BY.

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.