Reporter states that the present location of K90's ASR 9 radar does not allow for good coverage so h...

Narrative:

Numerous aircraft at 5000 ft, 7000 ft, 9000 ft on airways to mvy and ack are not being seen on radar in a timely manner to effect a handoff. On many occasions, I find myself having to spin an aircraft to avoid entering cape approach airspace (K90). K90's ASR 9 is not scanning far enough into pvd airspace to take handoffs in a timely manner. We are constantly calling K90 for handoffs and they are asking us to verify position on all. I am not sure the reason but the K90 ASR 9 radar on ack is not tracking targets well enough 20 mi and beyond from mvy. My only suggestion to this problem is to move the K90/pvd boundary east to necessitate proper handoffs which will dramatically reduce workloads during peak periods. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the problem as reported earlier still exists. Reporter believes K90's ASR 9 radar has an overwater tracking problem at certain altitudes. On the other hand, pvd TRACON, also using an ASR 9, has no problem in accepting handoffs from K90 TRACON in the same area. Reporter stated that both facilities have had adhoc groups meet to discuss a boundary change. Pvd TRACON has asked K90 TRACON to move their present boundary to the west of mvy, 3-4 mi to the east, to give pvd an additional buffer area for handoffs. According to the reporter, cape approach (K90) indicated that this was unacceptable because this would limit their maneuvering room for their departures climbing to the west off of mvy and the VOR final to runway 6. Pvd TRACON has also suggested establishing a shelf at 5000 ft and below to the west of mvy. K90 TRACON has also said that this was unacceptable. Reporter said that a ucr on this situation was filed previously, with the recommendation to have both facilities discuss ways to eliminate the handoff problem. Reporter stated that he's unaware if anything has been done at the hub or regional level.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES THAT THE PRESENT LOCATION OF K90'S ASR 9 RADAR DOES NOT ALLOW FOR GOOD COVERAGE SO HDOFS CAN BE DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER BTWN PVD AND K90. RPTR SUGGESTS MOVING THE PRESENT BOUNDARY TO FIX THE PROB.

Narrative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

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.

Attributes
ACN	443227
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mvy.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pvd.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9 controller time certified in position1 : 9 flight time total : 200
ASRS Report	443227
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Maintenance Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	radar equipment : k90.tracon

Reporter states that the present location of K90's ASR 9 radar does not allow for good coverage so handoffs can be done in a timely manner between pvd and K90. Reporter suggests moving the present boundary to fix the problem.