Use of 1201 Transponder Squawk for Salt Lake City TRACON

[Dan Thirkill]

For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider' transponder
sqauwk is now implemented.
Update received from TRACON personnel confirms hardware and software system
configurations now permit recognition of the unique code.

Enjoy-

Dan Thirkill,
SSA Governor for UT

[Wayne Paul]

"Dan Thirkill" > wrote in message ...
> For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider' transponder
> sqauwk is now implemented.
> Update received from TRACON personnel confirms hardware and software system
> configurations now permit recognition of the unique code.
>
> Enjoy-
>
> Dan Thirkill,
> SSA Governor for UT
>
Dan,

Here is a question that shows my ignorance. Does this imply "as SLC TRACON goes, so go all facilities under the purview Salt Lake Center?" (Just wondering for those of us flying in the Boise area; and, those flying out of Mackay, ID and the King Mountain Glider Park near Moore, ID.)

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/

[Dan Thirkill]

Wayne,

A reasonable question- unknown...
I'll see what I can find out-


"Wayne Paul" > wrote in message
m...

"Dan Thirkill" > wrote in message
...
> For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider'
> transponder
> sqauwk is now implemented.
> Update received from TRACON personnel confirms hardware and software
> system
> configurations now permit recognition of the unique code.
>
> Enjoy-
>
> Dan Thirkill,
> SSA Governor for UT
>
Dan,

Here is a question that shows my ignorance. Does this imply "as SLC TRACON
goes, so go all facilities under the purview Salt Lake Center?" (Just
wondering for those of us flying in the Boise area; and, those flying out of
Mackay, ID and the King Mountain Glider Park near Moore, ID.)

Wayne
HP-14 "6F"
http://www.soaridaho.com/

[Mike the Strike]

I presume this will also be valid for the Sports Class Nationals at
Parowan the week after next?

Mike

[Darryl Ramm]

On Jun 7, 12:01*am, Mike the Strike > wrote:
> I presume this will also be valid for the Sports Class Nationals at
> Parowan the week after next?
>
> Mike

Why presume anything? If unclear keep using 1200.

I would be surprised if SLC TRACON has any coverage of the Parowan
local area. And there may be military radar coverage to worry about as
well within the broader Utah area,

Around Reno for example, even though Reno Approach was set up and
eager to use the new squawk code the overlaying Oakland ARTCC was not,
and they provide SSR radar coverage for transponder equipped gliders
in nearby wave windows - so an important saftey issue.

Hopefully people dealing with these things are thinking about these
type of issues. Announcements like the one here for SLC TRACON need to
include the area covered and proceedures say for transiting out of
that area.

Darryl

The

[Mike the Strike]

Flights from Parowan will transition into SLC's area, but also
others. This leaves us with the situation where you should apparently
change your squawk code as you complete a cross-country task, a
nonsensical proposition for folks who are not talking to controllers.

This needs clarification.

I almost never use 1200 - we have been allocated 0400 by Tucson.

Mike

[Tim Taylor]

On Jun 7, 9:46*am, Mike the Strike > wrote:
> Flights from Parowan will transition into SLC's area, but also
> others. *This leaves us with the situation where you should apparently
> change your squawk code as you complete a cross-country task, a
> nonsensical proposition for folks who are not talking to controllers.
>
> This needs clarification.
>
> I almost never use 1200 - we have been allocated 0400 by Tucson.
>
> Mike

Mike,

You are correct, the Parowan contest sits on the boarder between ZLC
and ZLA for the most part. If I had a transponder I would likely set
it on 1200 and leave it. We have not heard if ZLA is ready for the
1201 code. The 1200 code will get the same recognition, they just
won't be sure you are a glider. To be honest most of the area we will
be flying does not get great terminal services from either facility
unless you are very high.

[danlj]

On Jun 6, 9:55*am, "Dan Thirkill" > wrote:
> For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider' transponder
> sqauwk is now implemented.

I just checked with Todd Ammerman (sp?) of ZMP (Minneapolis Center),
who said that center does not yet know about the code.

It's incredibly easy to telephone the folks at the regional center and
ask if they've implemented it. Is there a technical FAA reference we
can offer when contacting them?

DJ

[Frank Whiteley]

On Jun 8, 8:14*am, danlj > wrote:
> On Jun 6, 9:55*am, "Dan Thirkill" > wrote:
>
> > For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider' transponder
> > sqauwk is now implemented.
>
> I just checked with Todd Ammerman (sp?) of ZMP (Minneapolis Center),
> who said that center does not yet know about the code.
>
> It's incredibly easy to telephone the folks at the regional center and
> ask if they've implemented it. Is there a technical FAA reference we
> can offer when contacting them?
>
> DJ

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO%207110.66D%20.pdf

See Appendix A, Table A-1. Changes are bolded.

During my phone conversation with ZDV yesterday, found they've
actually been ready since April. I was letting a volunteer track this
as he had been trying to negotiate a glider code on the front range
for some time.

I called center and the appropriate person called me back within two
hours. He was also very interested in the Mitre corporation low cost
ADS-B project which we discussed briefly. He fully encourages glider
pilots to use the 1201 code.

Frank Whiteley

[Darryl Ramm]

On Jun 8, 7:52*am, Frank Whiteley > wrote:
> On Jun 8, 8:14*am, danlj > wrote:
>
> > On Jun 6, 9:55*am, "Dan Thirkill" > wrote:
>
> > > For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider' transponder
> > > sqauwk is now implemented.
>
> > I just checked with Todd Ammerman (sp?) of ZMP (Minneapolis Center),
> > who said that center does not yet know about the code.
>
> > It's incredibly easy to telephone the folks at the regional center and
> > ask if they've implemented it. Is there a technical FAA reference we
> > can offer when contacting them?
>
> > DJ
>
> http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/JO%207110.66D%20.pdf
>
> See Appendix A, Table A-1. *Changes are bolded.
>
> During my phone conversation with ZDV yesterday, found they've
> actually been ready since April. *I was letting a volunteer track this
> as he had been trying to negotiate a glider code on the front range
> for some time.
>
> I called center and the appropriate person called me back within two
> hours. *He was also very interested in the Mitre corporation low cost
> ADS-B project which we discussed briefly. *He fully encourages glider
> pilots to use the 1201 code.
>
> Frank Whiteley

And in the Colorado case it sounds like the ARTCC folks already knew
that underlying TRACON/Approach radars are all configured for 1201.
I'm not sure if there are any military RAPCON, etc. in the area that
gliders ever use, but can be worth checking with those as well. In
other areas I hope people having that conversation explicitly ask the
ARTCC folks if they know the situation with all the TRACONs/Approach
radar sites covered by that ARTCC.

Darryl

[Dan Thirkill]

Wayne and others,

Here's more of the story:

Yes, SLC TRACON confirms that the 1201 glider squawk applies now to the
entire ZLC (Salt Lake City) control center area.
This includes the majority of Idaho airspace as well as parts of 3 other
western states.

Interestingly, Frank Whitely also posted on the RAS site that Denver ARTCC
has approved the squawk for glider use in ZDV which includes
most of Colorado and parts of 7 other states.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/air-traffic-control.htm/printable



"Dan Thirkill" > wrote in message
...
> Wayne,
>
> A reasonable question- unknown...
> I'll see what I can find out-
>
>
> "Wayne Paul" > wrote in message
> m...
>
> "Dan Thirkill" > wrote in message
> ...
>> For pilots flying within the SLC area, use of the 1201 'glider'
>> transponder
>> sqauwk is now implemented.
>> Update received from TRACON personnel confirms hardware and software
>> system
>> configurations now permit recognition of the unique code.
>>
>> Enjoy-
>>
>> Dan Thirkill,
>> SSA Governor for UT
>>
> Dan,
>
> Here is a question that shows my ignorance. Does this imply "as SLC
> TRACON goes, so go all facilities under the purview Salt Lake Center?"
> (Just wondering for those of us flying in the Boise area; and, those
> flying out of Mackay, ID and the King Mountain Glider Park near Moore,
> ID.)
>
> Wayne
> HP-14 "6F"
> http://www.soaridaho.com/
>
>