No Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types
Human Factors; Procedure; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I was working the Dallas North position and Departure 3 came through on the land line to tell me to call for north bound departures. I acknowledged but evidently she didn't hear me because she stayed on the land line and after I talked to several aircraft I answered 'Dallas North' to which the DR3 Controller again told me to call for north bound departures. Unfortunately my answer the 2nd time was something sharp and to get out of my ear but I could still hear somebody in my ear and not hear my aircraft very well. When the DR3 Controller started talking; giving a position relief briefing; transmitting and coordinating with the center it was all coming into my ear; which was very distracting. I yelled at the FLM and at DR3 to stop it but everything looked normal on the DR3 position so my supervisor pressed in the IA button and dialed to deactivate any positions that might have been forwarded to my position. After trying twice; and with nothing happening; a Technician showed up and said to type in IA a number that worked. For a couple of minutes it was very distracting; and although we had no loss of separation; it was not the safest operation; since it is hard to think let along hear an aircraft's reply when you have someone in your ear for several minutes. What can I say; both DR3 controllers said everything looked normal at their position. We don't know how it happened but it did happen. Like I implied earlier; this could lead to a very unsafe situation if it happens again.
D10 Controller described a confused coordination event noting several distracting side conversations possibly caused by flawed position forwarding.