ZJX CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL200 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DESCEND TFC IN HOLDING TO LOWER ALT BY VECTORING CLEAR OF THE PATTERN.

Narrative

WHILE WORKING THE FLORENCE SECTOR (R71) I WAS TRANSITIONING ACFT OUT OF A HOLDING STACK OVER THE CTF VOR ONTO THE ARR INTO CHARLOTTE; NC. I MADE A DECISION TO DSND AN ACFT AT FL210 TO 17000 FT THROUGH THE ALT OF AN ACFT IN THE HOLDING STACK AT FL200. I INITIATED A VECTOR TO THE ACFT AT FL210 AND SCANNED TFC AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD SPD AND DISTANCE (7.5 MI) IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AT FL200. I INITIATED A DSCNT TO THE ACFT AT FL210 TO 17000 FT. A FEW MOMENTS LATER SEPARATION WAS REDUCED TO 3.5 MI. I HAVE PERFORMED THESE TYPE CTL ACTIONS MANY TIMES BEFORE AND AM STILL CONFOUNDED AT HOW FAST SEPARATION WAS LOST. RELEVANT FACTORS: I SPLIT THIS SECTOR FROM ANOTHER SECTOR R72 COLUMBIA. R72 HAD BEEN MOVED PHYSICALLY THE NIGHT BEFORE; AS THE AREA IS CURRENTLY BEING REALIGNED. R72 AND R71 HAVE SAT SIDE-BY-SIDE DURING MY YRS AT THIS FACILITY. DURING THIS EVENT THEY WERE ABOUT 20 FT APART. THIS MADE SPLITTING THE SECTORS QUITE A BIT MORE DIFFICULT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF INDECISION ON THE PART OF 2 SUPVRS WHETHER TO SPLIT THE SECTORS OR NOT. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SPLIT R71 OFF FROM R72. I ASSUMED THE POS AT R71 AND WAS SIGNED ONTO A LIVE SECTOR FOR 10 MINS BEFORE I COULD FINALLY ASSUME CTL. DURING THAT 10 MINS THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION BTWN THE SUPVRS AND THE R72 CTLR; WHETHER TO CONTINUE THE SPLIT OR NOT; WHICH FINALLY WAS COMPLETED. BOTH OF THESE ISSUES WERE VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME AND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR.