7600 vs. 7700?

Bandit_Driver said:
Mike is correct and DE is wrong. It bothers me that DE would be teaching an outdated procedure. I was told when the changeover occurred the practice of sqauwking 77 then 7600 was causing confusion and squawking 7600 from the outset was a lot more clear and to the point.
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I want to say it was changed in the mid '90s. For the longest time, the old method is how I knew it. Along with PCA/TCA/ARSAs for airspace, and FTs/SAs/SPs/RSs for WX reporting that the US used prior to METAR.

Unfortunately, I missed out on the days of Fan Markers and colored airways....

Old - school. :)
 
MikeD said:
I want to say it was changed in the mid '90s. For the longest time, the old method is how I knew it. Along with PCA/TCA/ARSAs for airspace, and FTs/SAs/SPs/RSs for WX reporting that the US used prior to METAR.

Unfortunately, I missed out on the days of Fan Markers and colored airways....

Old - school. :)
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Don't forget the old A N approaches and smudge pots...
 
genot said:
On ACD scopes (and I'm 99% certain STARS) all 7XXX codes turn the same shade of crimson/flash. The much older ARTS IIIE and IIE though I really don't remember. From everything I've heard about the unicorn that is MEARTS, it probably just diagnoses and repairs/solves the emergency/radio remotely and instantly while it hands you a slice of pie.

Basically what Mike said. 7600 grabs our attention plenty. That said, hanging out at the main airport with a 7XXX code in the xponder, batt switch on, engine off, just chillin at the GA ramp for a few hours drives us radar people up the wall.
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ARTS IIE here, no colors so it just stays green but will flash the data block with HJ, RF, or EM along with that Godforsaken loud alarm that's switch is across the tracon...
 
Does anyone know of any parts of the world where you're supposed to switch from 7500 to 7700 after a set amount of time if you encounter unlawful interference? I recently came upon a question regarding that on the interview application for an international operator. I've always been under the assumption that you just squawk straight up 75/6/700 and leave it alone.
 
MikeDelta said:
ARTS IIE here, no colors so it just stays green but will flash the data block with HJ, RF, or EM along with that Godforsaken loud alarm that's switch is across the tracon...
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Same with DSR, except we get no aural alarm. To make things even better, if the aircraft that starts squawking one of these codes was just a mode C intruder or other VFR code, it flashes no brighter than any of the other limited data blocks on the scope. Not exactly an attention grabber if you're busy and/or the data block is covered by the data block of a tracked target.
 
Alchemy said:
Does anyone know of any parts of the world where you're supposed to switch from 7500 to 7700 after a set amount of time if you encounter unlawful interference? I recently came upon a question regarding that on the interview application for an international operator. I've always been under the assumption that you just squawk straight up 75/6/700 and leave it alone.
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I think we're almost into stuff that evildoers shouldn't know territory there...I've seen something like that, though, in an older manual - pertaining to the sort of intervention in the crisis you desire.
 
Speaking of lost communication, a recent scenario: Inbound to Mexico City 05R. Approach controller clears me for the approach prior to Mateo VOR and that is the last I hear. Since the approach frequency has apparently gone silent, we switch to tower as we are approaching the turn to final. After calling tower several times hearing total silence, the other radio is tried with the same results - still nothing. Calls on guard broadcasting intentions but still complete silence. TOTAL COMM FAILURE inbound at night. What to do??? Land or go-around?

Decided to land (rationale was five minutes of no-comm flying vs. 20 or 30 in a go-around and lots of unknowns as well as nasty terrain) and switched the transponder to 7600. Looked for light-gun signals but didn't see any. Touched down and cleared the runway. Taxied cautiously toward known gate and as power was switched over to the APU, decided to try radios again. On the #2 radio we finally got through to the ramp controller and eventually made our way to ground control. Explained that we had a radio failure and he was very cordial and nice. When asked if there was a problem with our no-comm approach, he responded "No problem, senor, have a good night" A big sigh of relief enveloped me as I parked and headed for the hotel. I made a mental note to put that on my list of exciting airplane moments.
 
Tower ARTSIII(E?) changes your track to red and flashes while a soft, high-pitched tone is slowly pulsated. The RTF/EMG tones are completely different than MSAW/TCAS/LA alarms. Additionally, I suggest squawking 7700 if you have an emergency while loss of communications. The most important piece of information for us (tower) is that you have an actual emergency, your failure to communicate with us will be obvious so there is no need to switch to 7600 intermittently. 7600 does not implicitly communicate any type of emergency, FYI.
 
I once had an instructor tell me that if he's ever lost comms in imc he would sqwuak 7600 and fly at a vfr altitude all the way to his destination because no one else will be there (hopefully at least). I'm not saying that's the right thing to do, just food for thought.
 
Saabomatic said:
I once had an instructor tell me that if he's ever lost comms in imc he would sqwuak 7600 and fly at a vfr altitude all the way to his destination because no one else will be there (hopefully at least). I'm not saying that's the right thing to do, just food for thought.
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No one else "should" be there he should have said. But also, his solid-state radios "should" have been more reliable too, eh? :)

Best policy? Follow the lost comm procedures laid out in the AIM.
 
Darnit Bandit, you're always simpler and more elegant with what I was trying to say! :)
 
Saabomatic said:
I once had an instructor tell me that if he's ever lost comms in imc he would sqwuak 7600 and fly at a vfr altitude all the way to his destination because no one else will be there (hopefully at least). I'm not saying that's the right thing to do, just food for thought.
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Very, very bad advice.

We still have to separate traffic from a NORDO. We don't expect IFR traffic to fly at VFR altitudes, which just further complicates the situation. If there is a conflict, we will turn/climb/descend the one we can talk to. As mentioned above, just do what the AIM and FARs tell you to do in a lost comm situation.
 
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