Controller has concerns about the reliability of the facility ARTS system. Cites several instances where targets froze, dropped, acquired, or didn't acquire.

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Attributes
ACN	406993
Time
Date	199807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chs
State Reference	SC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller non radar : 15 controller radar : 1 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	406993
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

During period between XA45-XA50Z the ARTS froze and then disappeared. It never was revealed to us why this occurred but there certainly was a lot of rushing around by airways facilities personnel. The potential for a disaster was certainly there. There are many times when the ARTS stops tracking targets and goes into (CST) or coast mode. This has been a contributing factor in some airspace deviations. It has also been at times at least a frightening experience when a data tag drops (without controller noticing), and reacquires or never reacquires. Please look into this before something disastrous occurs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE FACILITY ARTS SYS. CITES SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE TARGETS FROZE, DROPPED, ACQUIRED, OR DIDN'T ACQUIRE.

Narrative: DURING PERIOD BTWN XA45-XA50Z THE ARTS FROZE AND THEN DISAPPEARED. IT NEVER WAS REVEALED TO US WHY THIS OCCURRED BUT THERE CERTAINLY WAS A LOT OF RUSHING AROUND BY AIRWAYS FACILITIES PERSONNEL. THE POTENTIAL FOR A DISASTER WAS CERTAINLY THERE. THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN THE ARTS STOPS TRACKING TARGETS AND GOES INTO (CST) OR COAST MODE. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN SOME AIRSPACE DEVS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AT TIMES AT LEAST A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE WHEN A DATA TAG DROPS (WITHOUT CTLR NOTICING), AND REACQUIRES OR NEVER REACQUIRES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMETHING DISASTROUS OCCURS.

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.