ATC EQUIP PROBLEM ARTS IIA AT FLO.

Narrative

THERE IS AN ONGOING; CONTINUOUS PROBLEM(S) AT THE FLORENCE ATCT; ENCOMPASSING THE BEACON INTERROGATION. ARTS IIA; AND PERIODIC MAINT CHKS. FIRST THE BEACON INTERROGATOR: MOST ACFT OUTSIDE 25 NM FROM THE RADAR SITE (ESPECIALLY NW AND N); GO INTO 'COAST'; THEN A COAST SUSPEND STATUS. TO PREVENT AN ACFT FROM ENTERING INTO THE COAST SUSPEND TAB/LIST; MOST CTLRS PLACE THE DATA BLOCK(S) HDOF STATUS TO A RADAR SCOPE THAT IS NOT BEING USED (MAINLY THE MAINT SCOPE). THIS PARTICULAR TECHNIQUE KEEPS THE DATA BLOCK ON THE SCOPE UNTIL A PROPER TRACK IS REESTABLISHED. SECONDLY; SINCE FLO ATCT HAS GOTTEN THE ARTS IIA PROGRAM; ALL DEPARTING ACFT THAT HAS THEIR TRANSPONDER ON; ANYTIME BEFORE DEP; WILL ACQUIRE/TAG UP ON THE GND. THIS SITUATION CREATES NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FOR THE CTLRS: FIRST OF WHICH THE ACFT MUST DEPART WITHIN 3 MINS TO BE WITHIN 3 MINS OF WHEN THE COMPUTER SHOWED IT DEPARTED (WHEN IT TAGS UP; IT IS AUTOMATICALLY DEPARTED). SECOND; IF THE ACFT DOESN'T DEPART WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINS; THE ACFT'S TAG WILL DROP OUT OF THE ARTS COMPLETELY. THIRD; MOST CTLRS THAT OBSERVE AN ACFT TAG UP ON THE GND; SIMPLY TRACK SUSPEND THE ACFT AND PLACE THE FLT PLAN IN A 'HOLD MESSAGE' STATUS VIA THE FDIO. FINALLY; THERE SHOULD BE SOME NATIONAL GUIDELINES AS TO WHEN THE TECHNICIANS CAN WORK ON CTLRS' EQUIP (BRITE/ARTS/RADAR; ETC).