Narrative:

An H/L101/I departed the bqn airport nwbound. The aircraft disappeared 40 mi northwest of the airport leaving 14000 ft and reappeared 60 mi northwest at FL200. This happened around XA49 local. This has been happening for over 2 yrs now. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that ever since the last hurricane, radar coverage has become worse. Reporter alleges that maintenance went out to the site after the hurricane, performed pmi's, and when they returned, advised they had reduced power levels. Radar coverage has been the poorest northwest of bqn VORTAC, on R763, between 40-60 NM, 14000 ft to FL200. ZSU traffic management has implemented flow control with ZMA for inbound and outbound traffic using this route. The reporter states the work force was advised that loss of radar contact on R763 was a problem with antenna placement on jets. The reporter states that the loss of radar contact is a problem with inbounds and outbounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSU ARTCC RADAR CTLR ALLEGES DETERIORATING RADAR COVERAGE NW OF THE BQN VORTAC, 40-60 NM, 14000 FT TO FL200.

Narrative: AN H/L101/I DEPARTED THE BQN ARPT NWBOUND. THE ACFT DISAPPEARED 40 MI NW OF THE ARPT LEAVING 14000 FT AND REAPPEARED 60 MI NW AT FL200. THIS HAPPENED AROUND XA49 LCL. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 2 YRS NOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT EVER SINCE THE LAST HURRICANE, RADAR COVERAGE HAS BECOME WORSE. RPTR ALLEGES THAT MAINT WENT OUT TO THE SITE AFTER THE HURRICANE, PERFORMED PMI'S, AND WHEN THEY RETURNED, ADVISED THEY HAD REDUCED PWR LEVELS. RADAR COVERAGE HAS BEEN THE POOREST NW OF BQN VORTAC, ON R763, BTWN 40-60 NM, 14000 FT TO FL200. ZSU TFC MGMNT HAS IMPLEMENTED FLOW CTL WITH ZMA FOR INBOUND AND OUTBOUND TFC USING THIS RTE. THE RPTR STATES THE WORK FORCE WAS ADVISED THAT LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT ON R763 WAS A PROB WITH ANTENNA PLACEMENT ON JETS. THE RPTR STATES THAT THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT IS A PROB WITH INBOUNDS AND OUTBOUNDS.

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.