Squawk Discrete?

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Tony R

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OK as I warned when I joined I'm a student pilot and not a flying god, so prepare for dumb questions. I heard ATC say "Squawk Discrete" to another airplane, what does that mean?

(my stupid transponder only has 0-7 and 4 digits so no way I could put DISCRETE in the box) hehe I made a pilot joke.

But in all seriousness, what does it mean to squawk discrete?
 
Discrete is a code not ending in two 00s. Its a code either assigned by the computer or it’s one that’s assigned to an aircraft by LOA. For instance, my company has an LOA with our local ATC facility to have discrete codes for each aircraft. Say I forgot to have that code dialed in the box and I’m still up 1200. Approach will tell me “Life Force Four, squawk your discrete code.”
 
Velocity173 said:
Discrete is a code not ending in two 00s. Its a code either assigned by the computer or it’s one that’s assigned to an aircraft by LOA. For instance, my company has an LOA with our local ATC facility to have discrete codes for each aircraft. Say I forgot to have that code dialed in the box and I’m still up 1200. Approach will tell me “Life Force Four, squawk your discrete code.”
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So the code stays with the ship? Nice!
 
Bill Jennings said:
So the code stays with the ship? Nice!
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Yep. Only with the LOA facility though. In my case, CHA. Go to ATL or TYS areas and we’re supposed to be squawking 1200.

Same with company callsigns. Only allowed with the facility (CHA) that we have an LOA with. Other areas “November” or “MEDEVAC.”
 
Velocity173 said:
Discrete is a code not ending in two 00s. Its a code either assigned by the computer or it’s one that’s assigned to an aircraft by LOA. For instance, my company has an LOA with our local ATC facility to have discrete codes for each aircraft. Say I forgot to have that code dialed in the box and I’m still up 1200. Approach will tell me “Life Force Four, squawk your discrete code.”
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Thank you for the explanation. I'm studiying using King Schools and I have't seen this. There is so much for this old dog to learn. Thanks again Velocity. BTW do you fly a Velocity?
 
Tony R said:
Thank you for the explanation. I'm studiying using King Schools and I have't seen this. There is so much for this old dog to learn. Thanks again Velocity. BTW do you fly a Velocity?
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No prob. I do.
 
Tony R said:
Those are cool. I saw my first one in person at KHFD sitting on its nose. Looks like a gear collapse :)
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While nose gear collapse does happen from time to time, even a POA member, you sure it wasn’t a Cozy? They’re similar looking but like the Rutan EZs, they park on their nose.
 
Tony R said:
OK as I warned when I joined I'm a student pilot and not a flying god, so prepare for dumb questions. I heard ATC say "Squawk Discrete" to another airplane, what does that mean?

(my stupid transponder only has 0-7 and 4 digits so no way I could put DISCRETE in the box) hehe I made a pilot joke.

But in all seriousness, what does it mean to squawk discrete?
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that and others questions are not dumb. i think of them as 'newbie' questions that most have asked at one time or another. we don't learn unless we ask. good luck with your training.
 
A discrete code/ call sign can also be given to an aircraft that does a specific task and has an LOA regardless of the tail number.

Military codes are different though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Bill Jennings said:
So the code stays with the ship? Nice!
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Not necessarily a particular airplane, but a particular operation. Example, there is a glider port NW of KHIO. There is an agreement between them and ATC that the tow planes will squawk a particular code, like 1203, don't remember exactly what it was. It's a way of letting the the Tower know that there are are probably some gliders out there
 
I know what a discrete code means but I've never heard ATC say that. They always just give you the code- 'squawk 1234'
 
luvflyin said:
Whatsa transponder doing with Audio?
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When the mode 4 gets interrogated, if the switch is in audio, you would get a light and a tone in the headset / helmet showing a good reply.
 
Boone said:
Are you going to have it out on display like that or mount it in something?
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Haven't decided yet. Just came in today and not sure where it’ll go right now. Running out of room.
 
luvflyin said:
Like someone may be getting ready to shoot you?
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Like Boone said, they’re trying to determine if you’re hostile or not. There’s backups, such as modes 1,2 or even 3 if mode 4 comes back bad. Visual ID (if able) being a last resort but the 1994 shootdown of 2 Black Hawks by F-15s has proven even that isn’t 100 % effective. :(
 
There are some other uses for discrete codes.

An airport where I rook a BFR had an adjacent military base, and you had to advise them before take off, to avoid sharing airspace with something tougher than you.

Each rental plane on the field had a discrete transponder code. When you shut down, you changed the code. If a rental aircraft called to advise they were taking off, and the code did not match the tail number, the military advised a hold for heavy military flight, and called the FBO and advised a possible theft.

Valid rentals were then called and reminded to go to discrete code. Other wise, the runway was blocked with a vehicle, and the issue was addressed on the ground.

I suspect that many airports have such arrangements with the local tower
 
geezer said:
There are some other uses for discrete codes.

An airport where I rook a BFR had an adjacent military base, and you had to advise them before take off, to avoid sharing airspace with something tougher than you.

Each rental plane on the field had a discrete transponder code. When you shut down, you changed the code. If a rental aircraft called to advise they were taking off, and the code did not match the tail number, the military advised a hold for heavy military flight, and called the FBO and advised a possible theft.

Valid rentals were then called and reminded to go to discrete code. Other wise, the runway was blocked with a vehicle, and the issue was addressed on the ground.

I suspect that many airports have such arrangements with the local tower
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I flew out of an Army club that became part of a Joint Base with the USAF after the club was disbanded( 40+ years after it's inception but that is a different story). JBLM now has 2 runways, 1 Army and 1 AF within their footprint and I've never followed a procedure like this.
 
ateamer said:
Is that a CRM-114 discriminator?
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While it does bear a remarkable resemblance, no, it’s just an old APX-72 transponder. Probably very similar to one the B-52 used to have though. ;)
 
I learned something today. I have never heard ATC ask anyone to squawk discrete. I have heard ATC ask an aircraft to, "keep the company code." Wonder, is that the same thing as what Velocity is talking about re: the LOA?
 
cool thanks! Always learning...
 
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