Narrative:

The radar in the vicinity of gtf has been displaying false thunderstorms for months. The facility does not seem to think this is a problem. This is the same area that was showing false targets until one of the false targets turned out to be a real aircraft that was in conflict with another. There is a history here of not fixing equipment until after a problem has occurred. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter has filed a facility ucr. He states that this ongoing problem appeared not to be resolved with first line supervisors. Any time the problem was brought to the attention of the shift maintenance technician, it never appeared to have follow through from one shift to the next. The controller advised that there was no documentation vehicle in place for shift-to-shift tracking, further complicating the process. The principal problem with the gtf radar site seems to be the erroneous display of thunderstorms. The controller's concern that since it seems to be displayed daily along one area, the controllers mostly don't advise aircraft tracking through the area. He believes that one day there will be something there, and not mentioned, and a situation will happen and the controller will be blamed. Callback conversation with facility specialist revealed the following information: facility specialist advised that he was made aware of the problem the day the controller filed his ucr. His investigation determined a problem with false WX radar returns existed. Coordination with radar maintenance and automation idented a resolution. The associated radar sort box primary radar return would be changed. The secondary radar site would be made first, the primary (gtf) would be made secondary. These changes would be incorporated in the next NAS automation system update in dec/98.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CONCERNED WITH FALSE TARGETS DISPLAYING TSTMS IN LOCATIONS WHERE THERE ARE NONE RPTED. FALSE TARGETS ALSO INCLUDE INCORRECT POSITIONING OF TRACKED ACFT.

Narrative: THE RADAR IN THE VICINITY OF GTF HAS BEEN DISPLAYING FALSE TSTMS FOR MONTHS. THE FACILITY DOES NOT SEEM TO THINK THIS IS A PROB. THIS IS THE SAME AREA THAT WAS SHOWING FALSE TARGETS UNTIL ONE OF THE FALSE TARGETS TURNED OUT TO BE A REAL ACFT THAT WAS IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER. THERE IS A HISTORY HERE OF NOT FIXING EQUIP UNTIL AFTER A PROB HAS OCCURRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR HAS FILED A FACILITY UCR. HE STATES THAT THIS ONGOING PROB APPEARED NOT TO BE RESOLVED WITH FIRST LINE SUPVRS. ANY TIME THE PROB WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE SHIFT MAINT TECHNICIAN, IT NEVER APPEARED TO HAVE FOLLOW THROUGH FROM ONE SHIFT TO THE NEXT. THE CTLR ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION VEHICLE IN PLACE FOR SHIFT-TO-SHIFT TRACKING, FURTHER COMPLICATING THE PROCESS. THE PRINCIPAL PROB WITH THE GTF RADAR SITE SEEMS TO BE THE ERRONEOUS DISPLAY OF TSTMS. THE CTLR'S CONCERN THAT SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE DISPLAYED DAILY ALONG ONE AREA, THE CTLRS MOSTLY DON'T ADVISE ACFT TRACKING THROUGH THE AREA. HE BELIEVES THAT ONE DAY THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THERE, AND NOT MENTIONED, AND A SIT WILL HAPPEN AND THE CTLR WILL BE BLAMED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH FACILITY SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT HE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROB THE DAY THE CTLR FILED HIS UCR. HIS INVESTIGATION DETERMINED A PROB WITH FALSE WX RADAR RETURNS EXISTED. COORD WITH RADAR MAINT AND AUTOMATION IDENTED A RESOLUTION. THE ASSOCIATED RADAR SORT BOX PRIMARY RADAR RETURN WOULD BE CHANGED. THE SECONDARY RADAR SITE WOULD BE MADE FIRST, THE PRIMARY (GTF) WOULD BE MADE SECONDARY. THESE CHANGES WOULD BE INCORPORATED IN THE NEXT NAS AUTOMATION SYS UPDATE IN DEC/98.

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.