"Michael" wrote in message
om...
I am planning a trip into the Caribbean. My question is: If I have
been given a clearance from a non-radar facility. Because the
facility does not have radar they do not give me a transponder code.
What should I squawk? The same question applies to coming into a
radar-controlled environment from a non-radar environment like
approaching San Juan from Bermuda. Again, what should I squawk prior
to receiving a transponder code from San Juan? I was thinking that
the answer would be 1200 but the AIM says that 1200 is for VFR traffic
in the United States. Should you know the answer, I would also like
to know from where I can find the answer.

Michael

The international rules (besides specifying the usual codes for emergency,
radio failure and unlawful interference) say you should squawk:

1) whatever ATC instructs you to squawk or failing that

2) whatever "regional air navigation agreements" prescribe or failing that

3) 2000

Virtually every state except the USA has an Aeronautical Information
Publication (AIP) in which, amongst many other useful pieces of info, the
procedures which come under the heading of "regional air navigation
agreements" are set out. AIPs have a standard format set out by ICAO, and
the Radar Services and Procedures are in section ENR 1.6. It might be worth
checking the AIPs of the states you intend to visit. Your Aeronautical
Information Service (AIS) should keep a library of foreign AIPs. Of course
since the US has a one-of-a-kind system, your AIS may do it differently but
http://www1.faa.gov/ats/ata/ata100/index.html
may be able to help.

Most likely, as Steven says, you'll get a discrete squawk even if some of
the route is non-radar.

FWIW, in many parts of the world including most of Europe, the conspicuity
squawk (what you squawk, VFR or IFR, if you're not assigned anything else)
is 7000.

HTH

Julian Scarfe