ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ASR-8.

Narrative

I WAS WORKING W HIGH RADAR AT THE TIME; I TOOK A HDOF FROM ZMA ON ACR X; A B757; LNDG TPA; AT 10000 FT MSL. WHEN IN MY AIRSPACE; I DSNDED X TO 5000 FT AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 080 DEGS FOR VECTORS TO THE DOWNWIND AT TPA. APPROX 10 MI WNW OF THE PIE VOR; THE ALPHA-NUMERIC TAG ON X DROPPED OFF AND WENT INTO COAST/SUSPEND LIST. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS BECAUSE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO AN ACFT LNDG AT MCF AFB CONFLICTING WITH 2 DEPS OFF TPA. MEANWHILE; X CONTINUED EBOUND AND PASSED THE PIE VOR. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL FINAL SECTOR AT TPA CALLED MY ATTN TO IT; AND BY THIS TIME X WAS ALMOST IN FINAL AIRSPACE (THE ALPHA/NUMERIC TAG RE-ACQUIRED SOMEWHERE AROUND THE PIE VOR). I INITIATED A TURN TO THE NW TO KEEP THE ACFT W OF TAMPA AND SWITCHED X TO FINAL. THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROB AT TPA; AND IN MY OPINION A DANGEROUS SIT. IT IS A KNOWN PROB; DUE TO THE INOP ASR-9 ANTENNA BLOCKING THE ASR-8 ANTENNA; AND HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR MONTHS. A VCR (UNSAFE CONDITION RPT) HAS BEEN FILED; BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO RECTIFY THIS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THIS PROB IS ONGOING. FAA MGMNT HAS TOLD THE RPTR THE PROB OF 2 RADAR ANTENNA'S WILL GO AWAY WHEN THE ASR-9 IS COMMISSIONED. THE COMMISSIONING DATE HAS COME AND GONE BECAUSE OF PROBS WITH THE ASR-9. NO NEW DATE HAS BEEN SET. RPTR STATED THAT DATA TAG SWAP AND DROP CONTINUES IN THE BLOCKED AREA.