PHL CTLRS RPTS RADAR/DATA LOSS ON STARS EQUIP.

Narrative

WX NOTE--THIS IS ONGOING DURING ALL WX CONDITIONS--ALL TYPES TFC EFFECTED. WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW 'STARS' RADAR SYSTEM AT PHL (NOV 2002) SECONDARY AND PRIMARY RADAR DATA; INCLUDING ARTS TAGS ARE DROPPING OFF THE RADAR DISPLAYS. THIS IS MOST CONSISTENT WHEN PHL IS ON A RWY 9 OP DURING BUSY ARRIVAL TFC. THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS. THE ONLY NOTICE TO CTLR IS 'BE AWARE OF LOSS OF DATA.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR CONFIRMED THAT BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RADAR INFO WAS DROPPING OFF DISPLAYS ON A RANDOM BASIS. THE W AND SE AREAS WERE RPTED AS MOST EFFECTED ESPECIALLY WHEN ACFT WERE AT HIGH SPEEDS AND IN A TURN. THE RPTR RELAYED THAT MOST OCCURRENCES WERE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ARR SECTORS; BUT THAT SOME DEPS WERE ALSO NOT TAGGING UP UNTIL 5 MILES FROM THE ARPT. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT WHEN SUPVRS ARE INFORMED OF THIS PROB THEY REPLY; '...YA WE KNOW...' AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE DONE. THE PROB IS NOT EVEN LOGGED; BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES. THE RPTR FURTHER RELAYED THAT SUPVRS DON'T BOTHER TO CALL MAINT ANYMORE; AND IF THEY DO; MAINT LOOKS AT THE DISPLAY; MAY CHANGE BEACON CHANNELS; AND THEN LEAVE.