A number of times I have switched on my transponder
and called for a clearance but ATC have not been able
to see me. I can see my transponder being interogated,
I have good battery power, everything seems to be working
but ATC still can't see me. This has happened to a
number of pilots I know.

So next time you set and forget... don't assume your
transponder is actually working.

If you don't call for a clearance you have no idea
whether you are transmitting or not.



At 17:00 23 January 2004, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
Earlier, Ben Flewett wrote:

...Once you agree to put transponders
in gliders you are obliged to use them
and they are a pain in the ass...

If that's on the basis of your personal experience,
I'd be inclined to
check if maybe you mounted the antenna the wrong way
up.

Where I fly, there are airliners. We have a letter
of agreement that
allows us one squawk code. No talking to Center; it's
just set and
forget. And, yes, there are officially rules about
always using the
transponder if it is available. Uh huh. Right.

Bob K.