B757-200
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Human Factors
The Controller sitting at Gadsden requested that I handle communications for him while he tried to put the flight data on about 4 aircraft coming from ZME; who was still in DARC. I was sitting next to him at West Departure with not much of anything going on. I realized that Memphis's HOST was coming back online; and called to ask them if they were indeed up. Thinking I was the real controller at Gadsden; because I was handed the communications; they asked me if I had track control on three aircraft (including the two listed). I looked at the Gadsden RADAR; saw the three aircraft data tags; as if they had been RADAR identified; and said yes they we have track control and we have RADAR on them all. I assumed; incorrectly; that the Gadsden Control had properly RADAR identified those aircraft. They apparently were tagged up incorrectly. Because two of the incorrectly tagged aircraft were stacked 2;000 FT above each other inbound to Atlanta. It resulted in a loss of separation by another Controller that later took over the Gadsden Sector and also assumed they were correctly tagged. The aircraft apparently also had checked in with the Controller who handed me the communications and had miss tracked the aircraft; but he didn't catch the altitudes were incorrect for the call signs as they were displayed on the RADAR. I should not have taken the communications for another sector; even if requested of me; without a proper briefing. The other controllers should have also listened better to the check on altitudes and possible have had them IDENT to properly identify the aircraft.
ZTL Controller described a loss of separation event when taking over communications for another controller without a complete briefing during late night operations as positions were being combined and operations changed.