On Jan 18, 6:40*pm, Dave Nadler wrote:

No, pressing IDENT does NOT cause the transponder to transmit.
It merely sets an attention flag for controllers
(which highlights you on their display).
If the controllers did not request an IDENT,
they will not be amused.

Please do not do that...

Thanks,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

Hmm. Then I wonder what my transponder and PCAS equipped friends were
doing then to locate each other on a cross country flight? Radio
transmissions were as follows.

"Where are you?"
"I will give you an update. There."
"Oh, you are 240 degrees from me, 9.8 miles."

Later.

"I did get that update. Give it again. Got it. You are now 270
degrees, 5.5 miles."

Maybe I mis-understood what was going on? Maybe they were just "not
amusing" local ATC? If pressing IDENT sets an attention flag on the
ground radar display, it had to transmit something.

Haven't done it. Won't do it. Suggestion for others to do it
withdrawn.

Steve
Not an expert.
Never claimed to be.
Just smart enough to be dangerous.