Thanks for the response Eric and to those that have written my privately.
It is good info. One pilot at Warner Springs has his antenna on the top and
has said that ATC and the airlines have painted him without problems.

It has been my experience that by flying outside the Mode C veil that we
generally are encountering departing aircraft below them since by 30 miles
out they have climbed to a fairly high altitude. Certainly not always true
but usually the case.

The other part of my logic is this and may be more specific to our local
environment.....As we leave the area we are circling to gain altitude to get
over the mountains to the north so with eyes outside and circling often see
the departing flights from Sky Harbor and radio the other folks about them.

The main worry for me are those long flat final glides from north to south
starting at 17,999 feet and 100 miles out....I can't even see the guys that
I know are half a mile in front of me so there is no way some 37 crew on
approach is going to see me on a final glide. I don't wish to end up with a
37 enema. But on a more serious note if it did happen you can bet that it
would change the face of glider flying overnight esp if it took down bunch
of passengers along with it. This is why I have been less interested in
requiring the ELT systems and more interested in figuring out a way to equip
all of us with transponders at cheaper than now available prices. Both
would be a good thing but the latter has the potential to impact far more
folks.....excuse the pun.

Thanks again!
Casey