Narrative:

I am a controller at oak ARTCC. I have been qualified at sector #11 fore xx months. In this time I have had several instances where the radar coverage in this sector has been poor to nil below 8000' MSL. Specific areas of problem are V485 between panos intersection and gilro intersection. This is a major arrival corridor to sjc, with several small uncontrolled airports in the vicinity. Our letter of agreement with bay approach calls for jets to be at 8000' at gilro and propellers to be at 6000' there. Too often these IFR aircraft go into 'coast' (no tracking of target or transponder), or we discover VFR traffic at the last minute. Additionally aircraft will ask, 'are you showing a VFR in our position?', and we will not have a target. Management/techs are aware of the deficiency, but until somebody gets killed, no money will be spent to improve the situation. Controllers have written ucr's (unsatisfactory condition reports), but response from upstairs is 'no funding available.' I guess all this goes under the heading of 'see and avoid.' even when you are in radar contact, 25 NM from the runway in a turbo jet with 200 people riding with you, there could be somebody at '12 O'clock and a block,' and ATC might not issue the traffic because it's not displayed on the radar! And this is the 1980's!!

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOA CTLR IDENTIFIES POOR RADAR COVERAGE ON AND EAST OF V485 BETWEEN PANOS INTXN AND GILRO INTXN.

Narrative: I AM A CTLR AT OAK ARTCC. I HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED AT SECTOR #11 FORE XX MONTHS. IN THIS TIME I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE RADAR COVERAGE IN THIS SECTOR HAS BEEN POOR TO NIL BELOW 8000' MSL. SPECIFIC AREAS OF PROB ARE V485 BTWN PANOS INTXN AND GILRO INTXN. THIS IS A MAJOR ARR CORRIDOR TO SJC, WITH SEVERAL SMALL UNCTLED ARPTS IN THE VICINITY. OUR LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH BAY APCH CALLS FOR JETS TO BE AT 8000' AT GILRO AND PROPS TO BE AT 6000' THERE. TOO OFTEN THESE IFR ACFT GO INTO 'COAST' (NO TRACKING OF TARGET OR TRANSPONDER), OR WE DISCOVER VFR TFC AT THE LAST MINUTE. ADDITIONALLY ACFT WILL ASK, 'ARE YOU SHOWING A VFR IN OUR POS?', AND WE WILL NOT HAVE A TARGET. MGMNT/TECHS ARE AWARE OF THE DEFICIENCY, BUT UNTIL SOMEBODY GETS KILLED, NO MONEY WILL BE SPENT TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. CTLRS HAVE WRITTEN UCR'S (UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION RPTS), BUT RESPONSE FROM UPSTAIRS IS 'NO FUNDING AVAILABLE.' I GUESS ALL THIS GOES UNDER THE HEADING OF 'SEE AND AVOID.' EVEN WHEN YOU ARE IN RADAR CONTACT, 25 NM FROM THE RWY IN A TURBO JET WITH 200 PEOPLE RIDING WITH YOU, THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY AT '12 O'CLOCK AND A BLOCK,' AND ATC MIGHT NOT ISSUE THE TFC BECAUSE IT'S NOT DISPLAYED ON THE RADAR! AND THIS IS THE 1980'S!!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.