CONFUSION REIGNS WITH ZLC CTLR WHEN THE WRONG ACR FLT CHANGES TO HIS SECTOR AND HE HAS DIFFICULTY IN ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION BTWN 2 OTHER ACFT; 1 NOT IN COM WITH HIS SECTOR BECAUSE OF THE WRONG CHANGEOVER.

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I WAS THE ZLC RADAR CTLR DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE 3 ACFT INVOLVED WERE ACR ABC FLT #1; ACR ABC FLT #2; AND ACR XYZ FLT #3. ON THE DIAGRAM ON THE REVERSE SIDE; NOTICE THAT FLT #2 IS 'OFF THE SCOPE;' TOO FAR S FOR ME TO SEE HIM. AS I TOOK THE HDOF FROM ZLA SECTOR 33 (ZLA 33); I CALLED THEM AND OBTAINED CTL OF ACR #1 BECAUSE I NEEDED TO TURN HIM A LITTLE BIT R TO STAY OUT IN FRONT OF FLT #3. ZLA 33 SENT FLT #1 OVER TO ME (COM CHANGE) AND FLT #2 TOOK THE COM CHANGE INSTEAD. THAT'S 5 OR 6 SETS OF EARS BEING CONFUSED (OR HEARING THE WRONG THING) BECAUSE OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. NOW FLT #2 CHKS IN; AND 1 MORE SET OF EARS MISHEARS IT -- ME! I IMMEDIATELY TURN FLT #1 R 15 DEGS. AFTER A BIT; I SEE THAT HE HASN'T TURNED; SO I ASK HIM IF HE'S COMPLETED HIS TURN. HE SAID YES; HE'S HDG N NOW; SO BECAUSE IT LOOKS 'NOT SO GOOD' WITH FLT #3; I TURN HIM AN ADDITIONAL 20 DEGS R. BY THIS TIME I'VE ALREADY TURNED FLT #3 10 DEGS R; BUT I'M KIND OF BOXED IN WITH HIM; IN REF TO THE NELLIS AFB RANGE. AS TIME PASSES; I'M ABLE TO TURN HIM FURTHER S; AND I DO. NOW I'M PRETTY TORQUED AT FLT #1 BECAUSE HE'S ACKNOWLEDGING MY CTL INSTRUCTIONS; BUT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE COMPLYING! ABOUT THIS TIME ZLA 33 CALLS UP; SAYS FLT #1 IS STILL WITH HIM; AND WOULD I LIKE HIM TO TURN FLT #1. I SAY YES; TURN HIM 20 DEGS R. AT THE SAME TIME; FLT #2 IS ASKING ME WHY I KEEP CALLING HIM FLT #1! I CALLED ZLA 33 AND THEY INFORM ME THAT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH FLT #2 WITH ANY OTHER ACFT; AND TO SEND HIM BACK TO THEM; SO I DID. MY 2 ACFT MISSED WITH 7 OR 8 MI. ZLA 33 APPARENTLY GOT THE GIST OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. WHEN CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND I HAD APPARENTLY TAKEN NO ACTION WITH FLT #1 AND FLT #2 ALL OF A SUDDEN APPEARED TO BE TURNING R ALL ON HIS OWN! VERY SCARY -- SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A TCASII MANEUVER OR WORSE.