We report the high resolution radio observations and their analysis of a radio-loud compact steep spectrum ( CSS ) quasar FIRST J164311.3+315618 , one of the members of a binary system .
The second component of the system is a radio-quiet AGN .
The projected separation of this pair is 2.3 \arcsec ( 15 kpc ) and it is one of the known smallest separation binary quasars .
The multi-band images of this binary system made with the Hubble Space Telescope showed that the host galaxy of the radio-loud quasar is highly disturbed .
The radio observations presented here were made with the multi-element radio linked interferometer network ( MERLIN ) at 1.66 GHz and 5 GHz .
We show that the radio morphology of FIRST J164311.3+315618 is complex on both frequencies and exhibits four components , which indicate on the intermittent activity with a possible rapid change of the jet direction and/or restart of the jet due to the interaction with the companion .
The radio components that are no longer powered by the jet can quickly fade away .
We suggest that this makes the potential distortions of the radio structure to be short-lived phenomena .
On the other hand , our numerical simulations show that the influence of the companion can lead to the prolonged current and future activity .
FIRST J164311.3+315618 is an unusual and statistically very rare low redshift binary quasar in which probably the first close encounter is just taking place .