CTLR AT BDL TRACON ALLEGES THAT NOISE SUPPRESSION BOXES INSTALLED AT THE COMS PLUG INS ARE FAILING AND NOT PROTECTING THE CTLR FROM 'NOISE HITS' THROUGH THE EAR PIECE.

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THIS IS THE THIRD LOUD TONE I'VE TAKEN TO MY R EAR THROUGH MY HEADSET WHILE WORKING AT BRADLEY TRACON. OTHER CTLRS HAVE ALSO TAKEN FREQUENT 'HITS.' I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE CAUSES; BUT OFTEN THE TONES ARE A RESULT OF 2 OR MORE PLTS XMITTING AT THE SAME TIME. 'BLACK BOXES' HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT EACH RADAR SECTOR AND WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO PLUG OUR HEADSETS INTO THESE BLACK BOXES. AS EXPLAINED TO ME AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION; THESE BOXES ARE SUPPOSED TO CUT OUT ANY SUDDEN; LOUD NOISE OVER THE FREQ OR THROUGH THE LAND LINES. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ONLY THING THESE BOXES DO IS REDUCE THE OVERALL VOLUME OF ANYTHING COMING THROUGH THE HEADSET. WHAT THIS MEANS IS WE NOW HAVE TO PUT THE MASTER VOLUME CTL UP TO MAX JUST TO HEAR ANYTHING. IN FACT; WHEN THE ROOM IS BUSY AS A WHOLE; I USUALLY CAN'T HEAR WELL ENOUGH TO WORK TFC SAFELY. LATELY THESE SAME BLACK BOXES HAVE BEEN FAILING FREQUENTLY; AND WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF STATIC WHEN XMITTING WHEN WE DO USE THE BOXES. BY ONLY REDUCING OVERALL VOLUME; THE PROB IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED OR CORRECTED WITH THESE BLACK BOXES. A LOUD TONE IS STILL PAINFUL AND LOUDER THAN NORMAL XMISSIONS. BRADLEY TRACON IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A WHOLE NEW COM SYS THAT HAS SOME SORT OF 'CIRCUIT BREAKER' THAT COULD CUT OUT THE NOISE WHEN A LOUD TONE IS DETECTED.