Narrative:

Gpn 20 radar data feed to daytona unacceptable. Forces daytona to use backup system, cenrap-plus. FAA is aware of problem, but won't release funds to fix it. During this session, five radar targets completely lost. Forces controller to use non-radar in a radar system. What has to happen before this problem is fixed? Near miss, or something else. Send in the experts to repair the system or shut it down. Callback conversation with prtr revealed the following information: reporter alleges that radar reliability problems have existed during the last 16 to 18 months. Dab's primary radar feed is from the gpn-20 at cof (patrick AFB), approximately 60 mi to the south of dab. The reporter states that he is aware of a recent 'tiger team' evaluation of the cof-dab radar link. Evidently, radar returns at cof are of good quality, but at dab, the presentation has deteriorated significantly. One problem has been identified with the data compression feature of radar transmission. The controller states that cenrap is provided by ZMA. The ZMA radar site is northwest of mlb airport. The controller alleges that there is an approximately 10 mi circumference of poor to non-radar coverage below 2500 ft from this radar site, that this poor/non-radar coverage encompasses all downwind, radar pattern traffic, vectored west of mlb for turn onto the runway's 9 final approach courses, as far out as 20 mi. Because of this poor, intermittent radar coverage area, the controller alleges that he must utilize some non-radar procedure's, requiring aircraft to report altitude/DME changes in order to time turns to final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DAB CTLR CONCERNED WITH CENRAP-PLUS (CENTER RADAR ARTS PRESENTATION/PROCESSING-PLUS) AND COF RADAR FEED FOR DAB PRIMARY RADAR SYS TRACKING. SEE ACN 494560 AND 449223 FOR ADDITIONAL INFO.

Narrative: GPN 20 RADAR DATA FEED TO DAYTONA UNACCEPTABLE. FORCES DAYTONA TO USE BACKUP SYS, CENRAP-PLUS. FAA IS AWARE OF PROB, BUT WON'T RELEASE FUNDS TO FIX IT. DURING THIS SESSION, FIVE RADAR TARGETS COMPLETELY LOST. FORCES CTLR TO USE NON-RADAR IN A RADAR SYS. WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS PROB IS FIXED? NEAR MISS, OR SOMETHING ELSE. SEND IN THE EXPERTS TO REPAIR THE SYS OR SHUT IT DOWN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH PRTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ALLEGES THAT RADAR RELIABILITY PROBS HAVE EXISTED DURING THE LAST 16 TO 18 MONTHS. DAB'S PRIMARY RADAR FEED IS FROM THE GPN-20 AT COF (PATRICK AFB), APPROX 60 MI TO THE S OF DAB. THE RPTR STATES THAT HE IS AWARE OF A RECENT 'TIGER TEAM' EVALUATION OF THE COF-DAB RADAR LINK. EVIDENTLY, RADAR RETURNS AT COF ARE OF GOOD QUALITY, BUT AT DAB, THE PRESENTATION HAS DETERIORATED SIGNIFICANTLY. ONE PROB HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH THE DATA COMPRESSION FEATURE OF RADAR XMISSION. THE CTLR STATES THAT CENRAP IS PROVIDED BY ZMA. THE ZMA RADAR SITE IS NW OF MLB ARPT. THE CTLR ALLEGES THAT THERE IS AN APPROX 10 MI CIRCUMFERENCE OF POOR TO NON-RADAR COVERAGE BELOW 2500 FT FROM THIS RADAR SITE, THAT THIS POOR/NON-RADAR COVERAGE ENCOMPASSES ALL DOWNWIND, RADAR PATTERN TFC, VECTORED W OF MLB FOR TURN ONTO THE RWY'S 9 FINAL APCH COURSES, AS FAR OUT AS 20 MI. BECAUSE OF THIS POOR, INTERMITTENT RADAR COVERAGE AREA, THE CTLR ALLEGES THAT HE MUST UTILIZE SOME NON-RADAR PROC'S, REQUIRING ACFT TO RPT ALT/DME CHANGES IN ORDER TO TIME TURNS TO FINAL.

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.