ATC EQUIP PROB RADAR ARTS IIA DATA TAG DROP.

Narrative

C310 WAS SBOUND ON V3; ALREADY HANDED OFF TO FLO APCH. WHEN HE REACHED A POINT 5 MI N OF TOWEY; THE ARTS II DATA TAG DISAPPEARED; AND DID NOT GO INTO THE COAST/SUSPEND TAB LIST. I DID NOT SEE A XPONDER RETURN; OR ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT A PRIMARY RADAR RETURN; FOR ABOUT 10 MI. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED A POINT 5 MI S OF TOWEY; IT REAQUIRED IMMEDIATELY; WITHOUT EVER SHOWING A XPONDER RETURN BEFORE HDOF. FLO WAS RECEIVING XPONDER REPLY. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING SIMILAR PROBS FOR A WHILE; NOW; BUT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY TAGS DISAPPEARING FOR ANYWHERE NEAR THIS LONG. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY HANDED THE ACFT OFF TO FLO; IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED FAY IS AN ARTS IIA FACILITY. THE PROB STARTED 2 MONTHS AGO. DATA TAGS WILL DROP AND THERE IS NO XPONDER SPLAT. DATA TAG WILL REAPPEAR AFTER 2 OR 3 SWEEPS. DATA TAG DOES NOT GO INTO THE COAST SUSPEND LIST. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC LOCATION WHERE TAGS WILL DROP. MAINT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROB.