Transponder Operation

[Thunderbolt44 4]

Today I filed my first IFR cross country.  Was doing find.  Departed and started to climb.   Tower advised me to contact departure.  I had the correct code dialed in and ALT checked.  ATC advised me they could not read my squack. I flipped it to ON with no luck.  I had the switch and transponder on 1.  Finally had to cancel IFR.  Tonight I read the intro manual which stated to do as I had done.  Both tutorials never mentioned the transponder.  I just opened the 6 and set the transponder up.  Nothing until I pressed Ident.  Then it seemed to work.  When I flew we always used the ident button, but since I have been simming, the ident button has never been called for and I just figured it was modern times.  So, can someone out there tell me how you get this transponder to work and if you have to use the ident to get it to go, and do you then have to use it every time you change controller or freg?

[Thunderbolt44 4]

Once again, I forgot to sign it.  Mike Nicholson

[scandinavian13 5,192]

11 hours ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

Finally had to cancel IFR.

Why? The controller should've just reverted to a Mode C failure procedure (requesting that you report your altitude any time you reach or leave, etc). I had a Mode C failure in a Chickenhawk flying over JFK a couple weeks ago. Approach asked me to cycle it, which didn't help, so I kicked Mode C off, and then any altitude assignments/changes for me ended with "report reaching."

If they asked you to cancel, I'd strongly recommend reaching out to whoever it was and submitting some feedback.

11 hours ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

When I flew we always used the ident button, but since I have been simming, the ident button has never been called for and I just figured it was modern times.

Ident should only be pressed when requested by ATC.

11 hours ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

So, can someone out there tell me how you get this transponder to work and if you have to use the ident to get it to go, and do you then have to use it every time you change controller or freg?

Make sure you're running your sim and the pilot client as an administrator.

Again: it's important that you only hit ident when requested.

[Thunderbolt44 4]

Kyle,

I do not understand what you are talking about.  My question concerned the fact that Radar Contact, when I contacted Departure control could not read my transponder code.  No matter how I set it, they could not read it; therefor, I had no option but to cancel IFR.  I had the transponder switch on 1 and was using the #1 transponder.  It did not appear the transponder was on (it did not even light up).  Please consider this thread closed.  I will just submit a ticket.  Mike Nicholson

[PMDG777 231]

1 minute ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

Kyle,

I do not understand what you are talking about.  My question concerned the fact that Radar Contact, when I contacted Departure control could not read my transponder code.  No matter how I set it, they could not read it; therefor, I had no option but to cancel IFR.  I had the transponder switch on 1 and was using the #1 transponder.  It did not appear the transponder was on (it did not even light up).  Please consider this thread closed.  I will just submit a ticket.  Mike Nicholson

Battery on?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

13 minutes ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

I do not understand what you are talking about.  My question concerned the fact that Radar Contact, when I contacted Departure control could not read my transponder code.  No matter how I set it, they could not read it; therefor, I had no option but to cancel IFR.

Oh, okay. I assumed online ATC.

14 minutes ago, Thunderbolt44 said:

I had the transponder switch on 1 and was using the #1 transponder.  It did not appear the transponder was on (it did not even light up).  Please consider this thread closed.  I will just submit a ticket.

Not sure why...I'm already responding here.

Moreover, seems more like an RC issue, or your own procedure.

[rosariomanzo 0]

I would like to add that, using default FSX ATC, transponder code isn't automatically dialed in and always shows 1200 even after the readback, so you have to manually dial the code. This is not a big problem, of course, but I guess the transponder uses some specific external coding which may not be fully compatible with default ATC (nor with specific products such as RC). Or is it (much probably) user error? Maybe someone may reproduce this behaviour with default ATC?

Thanks in advance.

[Iceman2 110]

I found this as well only in this aircraft. 

I use PFE and normally the FO automatically sets the transponder code after the read back for the Airways Clearance but he can’t do it in this Aircraft.

No big deal as I set it myself. Adds to the old fashion airliner SOP immersion. I kinda like it.

Certainly weird behaviour tho.

ICE

 

[TheFinn88 13]

Do you fly on an online-network, or with the default AI-ATC that comes with FSX/P3D/X-plane? What simulator are you using?

As for me, I mostly fly on VATSIM with the Prepar3d v4 Version, and with the GTN650 from Flight1 installed. In my case, the transponder is part of the GTN650 GPS. For flying on VATSIM I have to dial in the squawk-code into the GTN650. But switching from stby to alt-reporting within the GTN650 does not automatically turn on the transponder mode from vPilot (thats the client-software I use for connecting to VATSIM). I have to switch to vPilot and turn on the mode C there manually.