Good to hear from you, Bumper.
The main problem I observe with these discussions about
alternatives to transponders and that 'something better
is out there' is that it is used as an excuse by so
many people for not installing a transponder now.
'Why buy something that will be obsolete very soon?'

We live, fly, and die in the here and now. Virtually
every argument about the uselessness of transponders
has not panned out in my experience. Even the argument
that TCAS will not be effective in the hinterland because
my transponder is not being 'pinged' by ATC radar has
not been true. No matter where I fly in the great
basin, the Whites to Ely, my transponder is blinking,
blinking, blinking.
I really think the soaring community and the SSA have
been dodging their responsibility to the greater aviation
community by not getting on board with transponders.
Soaring has changed significantly over the last twenty
years. We are flying farther, higher, and faster than
every before. We cover more ground and use higher
altitudes than I ever did flying a Cessna. We make
this big issue about requiring ELTs in planes for competition.
In my opinion that money and energy would have been
much better spent on transponders.
As long as I am pontificating, my other big issue is
that I think every glider and towplane should have
a radio. What other single action or piece of equipment
would improve safety during the two critical phases
of glider flight, launch and landing? So many of the
incidents and accidents associated with open spoilers
or unlatched canopies probably would have had better
outcomes if we could talk to each other. What a concept
that the tow pilot could simply tell the glider that
his spoilers are open. Perhaps some of the open canopy
accidents would have had better outcomes if someone
seeing the incident could have talked to the pilot
with the open canopy and remind them to fly the plane.
People on the ground could remind a glider on final
with his gear up that he/she may want to consider lowering
their gear.
Radios and transponders should be required. In the
world of 1-26s , tube radios, and dry cell batteries
the status quo was reasonable. In today's aviation
environment it is simply wrong.
There...I'm done. I feel better now.
Guy