Glider specific transponder codes

Eric Greenwell wrote:
Jeremy Zawodny wrote:


I cannot change transponder codes in flight in my ship. So when it's
based at Truckee, Air Sailing, or Minden I set it on the ground to
0440 and don't change it back to 1200 until I bring it "home" to
Hollister.

I've got to know: why can't you change codes in the air?

Because there's no room in the panel to expose the transponder controls.
The transponder lives behind the panel of my 304C, so I can change the
code only by removing the canopy. My 304C has the instrument panel
designed for taller pilots, with deeper leg cutouts and less room for
instruments.

Here's a shot: http://flickr.com/photos/jzawodn/34233620/

It was either that or *not* install a transponder at all. Since I fly
most of the summer in the Reno area, I opted for having one.

Well, that's not entirely true. I could have spent hundreds of dollars
to re-instrument my panel the way I'd really like, but I'm not ready to
go quite that far yet.

But, hey, I do have an ident button. :-)

Jeremy

Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
Eric Greenwell wrote:

I've got to know: why can't you change codes in the air?

Because there's no room in the panel to expose the transponder controls.
The transponder lives behind the panel of my 304C, so I can change the
code only by removing the canopy. My 304C has the instrument panel
designed for taller pilots, with deeper leg cutouts and less room for
instruments.

Here's a shot: http://flickr.com/photos/jzawodn/34233620/

It was either that or *not* install a transponder at all. Since I fly
most of the summer in the Reno area, I opted for having one.

Well, that's not entirely true. I could have spent hundreds of dollars
to re-instrument my panel the way I'd really like, but I'm not ready to
go quite that far yet.

Yeah, you have plenty of space for another instrument, but it has to be
gathered up into one corner.

You've probably thought of this: if it's a Becker, you just need some
way of pushing the VFR1 (set for 1200) and VFR2 (set for 0440) buttons
remotely to allow switching. A plastic model airplane pushrod might do
the job.


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly
* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org

Eric Greenwell wrote:
Jeremy Zawodny wrote:
Eric Greenwell wrote:

I've got to know: why can't you change codes in the air?

Because there's no room in the panel to expose the transponder
controls. The transponder lives behind the panel of my 304C, so I can
change the code only by removing the canopy. My 304C has the
instrument panel designed for taller pilots, with deeper leg cutouts
and less room for instruments.

Here's a shot: http://flickr.com/photos/jzawodn/34233620/

It was either that or *not* install a transponder at all. Since I fly
most of the summer in the Reno area, I opted for having one.

Well, that's not entirely true. I could have spent hundreds of
dollars to re-instrument my panel the way I'd really like, but I'm not
ready to go quite that far yet.

Yeah, you have plenty of space for another instrument, but it has to be
gathered up into one corner.

Right. It can be done, but not without a lot of moving things around,
cutting, and so on. I figure that in a few more years I'll convince
myself that it's worth it. But so far I haven't.

I've toyed with the idea of removing the LX-5000 (freeing up two large
holes) and dropping in a B400 and using the empty hole for a small
transponder. I use a PDA and backup handheld GPS anyway, to the LX-5000
is really overkill. I mainly use it only as a logger and vario.

Others have tried to convince me that a 302 is the way to go.

In any case, it's money I'm not sure I need to spend at this point.

You've probably thought of this: if it's a Becker, you just need some
way of pushing the VFR1 (set for 1200) and VFR2 (set for 0440) buttons
remotely to allow switching. A plastic model airplane pushrod might do
the job.

Actually, it's a Garmin GTX 320 that I got one heck of a deal on. It's
not the most power efficient thing for a glider, but I've got dual 12aH
batteries on board...

Jeremy