FREQUENT RADAR FAILURES OCCUR AFTER FACILITY MOVES TO NEW CTL ROOM.

Narrative

THE RADAR FAILURES AFFECTED ALL IFR AND VFR TFC WITHIN THE DETROIT METROPOLITAN AIRSPACE; INCLUDING A TCA. AS OF SEP/XX/92; THERE HAVE BEEN 15 DIFFERENT FAILURES; OF SOME PART; OF THE ASR 9 SYS SINCE THE MOVE TO THE NEW FACILITY ON AUG/XX/92. ALSO BEACON CHANNELS 1 AND 2 HAVE BEEN CARRIED ON THE DAILY FACILITY STATUS LOG AS HAVING 'COASTING' PROBLEMS SINCE SEP/XX/92 (MAYBE A POSSIBLE CONNECTION)? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR CLAIMS THAT SOME RECENT WORK ON THE CABLING AND OTHER AREAS OF THE ASR 9 RADAR HAS TAKEN CARE OF MOST OF THEIR PROBLEMS. HE SAID THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OUTAGES FOR THE PAST WK; BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO SAY THAT THEY FOUND THE PERMANENT FIX. HE STATED THAT THEY MOVED TO THEIR NEW BUILDING IN AUG OF THIS YR AND THAT'S WHEN THEY BEGAN USING THE ASR 9 SYS. A UCR WAS FILED; BUT NO RESPONSE RECEIVED AS OF THIS DATE. THE BACKUP SYS WHEN THE ASR 9 FAILS IS CTR RADAR CALLED 'SUNRAP.' THE RADAR COVERAGE IS NOT GOOD AT LOWER ALTS. RPTR STATED THAT FACILITY MGMNT IS RESPONSIVE; HOWEVER; THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH THAT THEY CAN DO.