Transponder Goes Up To 8

[Mike Granby]

I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
to be selected. What gives?

[pgbnh]

Actually 0-7. Three bit octal. All transponder codes are four digits - each
digit is 0-7. Technology comes VERY slowly to aviation.


"Mike Granby" > wrote in message
...
>
> I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
> eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
> in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
> to be selected. What gives?

[Gig601XLBuilder]

pgbnh wrote:
> Actually 0-7. Three bit octal. All transponder codes are four digits - each
> digit is 0-7. Technology comes VERY slowly to aviation.
>
>
> "Mike Granby" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
>> eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
>> in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
>> to be selected. What gives?
>
>


I think that is Mike's point. He is holding one that goes 0-8.

[Jim Logajan]

Mike Granby > wrote:
> I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
> eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
> in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
> to be selected. What gives?

Just curious - but does it look like either of these:
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/txp2.jpg
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/txp.jpg

Or is it a LED display?

[Bertie the Bunyip]

On Dec 19, 8:51 pm, Mike Granby > wrote:
> I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
> eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
> in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
> to be selected. What gives?

Yeah, they frequently do on large airplanes for some reason. Don´t
know why, we never use ém


Bertie

[Larry Dighera]

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:51:33 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
> wrote in
>:

>
>I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
>eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
>in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
>to be selected. What gives?

Decade electrical switches are easier/cheaper to procure than octal
switches?

That's nothing, here (at 5:50 minutes into the segment)
http://media.pbs.org/ramgen/newshour/expansion/2007/12/19/20071219_skies28.rm?altplay=20071219_skies28.rm
you can listen to Mr. Michael Goldfarb, former FAA Chief of Staff
under Bush Senior, referring to Runway 41 Left! I believe he may have
meant runway 4L, as any airman knows there can be no runway numbered
higher than 36.

News Hour with Jim Lehrer:
Easing Airline Delays
The Bush administration unveiled new plans Wednesday to reduce air
travel congestion for the holiday season and beyond. Airline
regulation experts examine the plan.

[Judah]

Larry Dighera > wrote in
:

> On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:51:33 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
> > wrote in
> >:
>
>>
>>I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
>>eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
>>in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
>>to be selected. What gives?
>
> Decade electrical switches are easier/cheaper to procure than octal
> switches?

Wouldn't a Decimal switch go 0-9?

[Larry Dighera]

On 20 Dec 2007 12:41:47 GMT, Judah > wrote in
>:

>Larry Dighera > wrote in
:
>
>> On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:51:33 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
>> > wrote in
>> >:
>>
>>>
>>>I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
>>>eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
>>>in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
>>>to be selected. What gives?
>>
>> Decade electrical switches are easier/cheaper to procure than octal
>> switches?
>
>Wouldn't a Decimal switch go 0-9?

Umm... Good point. Oh well....

Perhaps the new New York Airspace Czar has the answer. :-)

[Mike Granby]

On Dec 19, 6:06 pm, Jim Logajan > wrote:

> Just curious - but does it look like either of these:
>
> http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/txp2.jpg
> http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/txp.jpg

Similar to botrh, but identical to neither.

Here's the eBay link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230199151135

[Mike Granby]

On Dec 20, 3:31 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:

> Decade electrical switches are easier/
> cheaper to procure than octal switches?

That would explain 0-9, but these are 0-8.

[Larry Dighera]

On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:34:11 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
> wrote in
>:

>
>Here's the eBay link...
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230199151135

That indicates that it's a: GABLES ENGINEERING, MOD. NO. G-1884C

There's a link to Gables products here:
http://www.gableseng.com/rotary.asp but I don't see the G-1884C among
them. However, you can request a password here:
http://www.gableseng.com/dds.asp to view the on-line documentation for
their products. Surely the eight digits would be explained there.

Also interesting is the 1884C's Volume control!

[Mike Granby]

On Dec 20, 11:26 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:

> Also interesting is the 1884C's Volume control!

It's also a control head for a MB receiver.

That control is labelled MARKER, and also selects senstivity.

[Al G[_1_]]

"Mike Granby" > wrote in message
...
>
> On Dec 20, 3:31 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:
>
>> Decade electrical switches are easier/
>> cheaper to procure than octal switches?
>
> That would explain 0-9, but these are 0-8.

You've Probably stumbled upon the top secret "Chemtrail" activator. Say
no more about it.

Al G

[Gig601XLBuilder]

Larry Dighera wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:34:11 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
> > wrote in
> >:
>
>> Here's the eBay link...
>>
>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230199151135
>
> That indicates that it's a: GABLES ENGINEERING, MOD. NO. G-1884C
>
> There's a link to Gables products here:
> http://www.gableseng.com/rotary.asp but I don't see the G-1884C among
> them. However, you can request a password here:
> http://www.gableseng.com/dds.asp to view the on-line documentation for
> their products. Surely the eight digits would be explained there.
>
> Also interesting is the 1884C's Volume control!
>

From the same seller.

http://cgi.ebay.com/P-3-Aircraft-Pilots-PEU-72-A-Armament-Control-Panel_W0QQitemZ230203538491QQihZ013QQcategoryZ3607 4QQcmdZViewItem

That would be fun just to stick into the empty space on the panel of a
homebuilt.

[Kingfish]

On Dec 20, 9:34 am, Mike Granby > wrote:


> Here's the eBay link...
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2301991...

Hmmm... An "ATC Control Panel" eh? I didn't know those folks were
controllable.

Guess I oughta review Part 91 again...

[Judah]

Larry Dighera > wrote in
:

> On 20 Dec 2007 12:41:47 GMT, Judah > wrote in
> >:
>
>>Larry Dighera > wrote in
:
>>
>>> On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:51:33 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
>>> > wrote in
>>> >:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>I find myself holding a 747 transponder control head that I bought on
>>>>eBay as a toy for the kids. But, with echos of Spinal Tap's guitarist
>>>>in my head, I notice that the selector knobs allow the digits 0 thru 8
>>>>to be selected. What gives?
>>>
>>> Decade electrical switches are easier/cheaper to procure than octal
>>> switches?
>>
>>Wouldn't a Decimal switch go 0-9?
>
> Umm... Good point. Oh well....
>
> Perhaps the new New York Airspace Czar has the answer. :-)

I think I have it figured out...

It's actually a USB-connectible transponder for SIMs. In the Sim world, the
kneeboard lists the following emergency squawk codes:

7500 - Hijack
7600 - Lost Comm
7700 - General Emergency
7777 - Military Intercept
8500 - Mom came home
8600 - MP3 player too loud
8700 - Had to pee
8888 - ATF is here doing a drug/alcohol/gun raid.

[Mike Granby]

Here's the answer from a very kind soul at Gables...

> The G1884 series started in 1965. I started in this business in
> 1967. I don't know the whole story but back then ACT control
> panels allowed all 8's to be selected. Something to do with a
> "remote keyer" function. Apparently this function was never
> adopted and later revisions to product and newer part numbers
> only allowed 0 thru 7 selections on each digit.

So there you have it! 8888 presumably put the code under remote
control from some other piece of equipment.

[Airbus]

In article >,
says...
>
>
>Larry Dighera wrote:
>> On Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:34:11 -0800 (PST), Mike Granby
>> > wrote in
>> >:
>>
>>> Here's the eBay link...
>>>
>>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230199151135
>>
>> That indicates that it's a: GABLES ENGINEERING, MOD. NO. G-1884C
>>
>> There's a link to Gables products here:
>> http://www.gableseng.com/rotary.asp but I don't see the G-1884C among
>> them. However, you can request a password here:
>> http://www.gableseng.com/dds.asp to view the on-line documentation for
>> their products. Surely the eight digits would be explained there.
>>
>> Also interesting is the 1884C's Volume control!
>>
>
> From the same seller.
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/P-3-Aircraft-Pilots-PEU-72-A-Armament-Control-Panel_W0QQit
emZ230203538491QQihZ013QQcategoryZ36074QQcmdZViewI tem
>
>That would be fun just to stick into the empty space on the panel of a
>homebuilt.


What's funny about it?
It's a standard-issue armament panel from a Vietnam era Beech Baron.
You'll find it right next to the ejection seat actuator.

[WingFlaps[_2_]]

On Dec 21, 3:35 am, Mike Granby > wrote:
> On Dec 20, 3:31 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:
>
> > Decade electrical switches are easier/
> > cheaper to procure than octal switches?
>
> That would explain 0-9, but these are 0-8.

Perhaps 8 is the same as 0 in octal?

Cheers

[DaveB]

On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:09:47 -0800 (PST), WingFlaps
> wrote:

>On Dec 21, 3:35 am, Mike Granby > wrote:
>> On Dec 20, 3:31 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:
>>
>> > Decade electrical switches are easier/
>> > cheaper to procure than octal switches?
>>
>> That would explain 0-9, but these are 0-8.
>
>Perhaps 8 is the same as 0 in octal?
>
>Cheers


isnt 8 (dec)=10 (octal)
Daveb

[Jose]

> isnt 8 (dec)=10 (octal)

Yes. And 25(dec) = 31(oct).

Therefore, Christmas = Halloween

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[WingFlaps[_2_]]

On Dec 23, 10:11 am, (DaveB) wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:09:47 -0800 (PST), WingFlaps
>
> > wrote:
> >On Dec 21, 3:35 am, Mike Granby > wrote:
> >> On Dec 20, 3:31 am, Larry Dighera > wrote:
>
> >> > Decade electrical switches are easier/
> >> > cheaper to procure than octal switches?
>
> >> That would explain 0-9, but these are 0-8.
>
> >Perhaps 8 is the same as 0 in octal?
>
> >Cheers
>
> isnt 8 (dec)=10 (octal)
> Daveb

Yes, one zero.

Cheers and merry Xmas.