Travis Marlatte wrote:

Oops. Sorry. I guess I should have assumed that from the "battery operated
radio" phrase.

Then it's a phone call to get permission, right?

Only to the anal stuck up controllers. Nobody ever calls here to
request permission to operate without a transponder within the class C
because they know they just have to call us on the radio to get service.
As for operating within the veil without a transponder you've got to
be kidding. Nobody bothers with piddly ass worries like that.