Narrative:

I was the radar controller on sector 11, a very high density sector working san jose arrs and departures from and to the south and east as well as moffett arrs and departures and oak arrs from the south. Air carrier X was inbound to sjc established on the el nido arrival, instructed to cross 25 mi southeast of sjc at 8000'. While crossing V485 the pilot reported that he had just missed small aircraft Y by 500'. I advised the pilot that there was no observed aircraft in his vicinity and instructed him to call the center upon arrival. Approximately 30 seconds later I observed a primary target (no transponder) in the approximately position. The air carrier X pilot estimated small aircraft Y's altitude at 11500'. My problem with this is the inability to receive radar returns on aircraft at 11500'. This sector has had problems with radar for yrs and nothing seems to be done to alleviate the problem that could be disastrous. It was just luck that the aircraft missed. As I stated, this problem has been going on for at least 5 yrs with aircraft at lower altitudes of 6000-8000' with no changes or new equipment to try to help. My recommendation is to spend some money on radar and safety related equipment (ie, radios) instead of computers to tell us when we do something wrong. As I said, this sector is very complex and with sjc expanding, will get more complex. With the reliability of this equipment, chances multiply of a disastrous situation to occur. I just hope I am not working when it happens.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR STATES POOR RADAR COVERAGE IN AREA SOUTHEAST OF SJC. CITES CLOSE PROX BETWEEN ACR AND SMA, AND POINTS OUT THAT SMA TARGET NOT SEEN ON RADAR PRIOR TO INCIDENT.

Narrative: I WAS THE RADAR CTLR ON SECTOR 11, A VERY HIGH DENSITY SECTOR WORKING SAN JOSE ARRS AND DEPS FROM AND TO THE S AND E AS WELL AS MOFFETT ARRS AND DEPS AND OAK ARRS FROM THE S. ACR X WAS INBND TO SJC ESTABLISHED ON THE EL NIDO ARR, INSTRUCTED TO CROSS 25 MI SE OF SJC AT 8000'. WHILE XING V485 THE PLT RPTED THAT HE HAD JUST MISSED SMA Y BY 500'. I ADVISED THE PLT THAT THERE WAS NO OBSERVED ACFT IN HIS VICINITY AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO CALL THE CENTER UPON ARR. APPROX 30 SECS LATER I OBSERVED A PRIMARY TARGET (NO TRANSPONDER) IN THE APPROX POS. THE ACR X PLT ESTIMATED SMA Y'S ALT AT 11500'. MY PROB WITH THIS IS THE INABILITY TO RECEIVE RADAR RETURNS ON ACFT AT 11500'. THIS SECTOR HAS HAD PROBS WITH RADAR FOR YRS AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE DONE TO ALLEVIATE THE PROB THAT COULD BE DISASTROUS. IT WAS JUST LUCK THAT THE ACFT MISSED. AS I STATED, THIS PROB HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 5 YRS WITH ACFT AT LOWER ALTS OF 6000-8000' WITH NO CHANGES OR NEW EQUIP TO TRY TO HELP. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO SPEND SOME MONEY ON RADAR AND SAFETY RELATED EQUIP (IE, RADIOS) INSTEAD OF COMPUTERS TO TELL US WHEN WE DO SOMETHING WRONG. AS I SAID, THIS SECTOR IS VERY COMPLEX AND WITH SJC EXPANDING, WILL GET MORE COMPLEX. WITH THE RELIABILITY OF THIS EQUIP, CHANCES MULTIPLY OF A DISASTROUS SITUATION TO OCCUR. I JUST HOPE I AM NOT WORKING WHEN IT HAPPENS.

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.