Originally Posted by
Timelord
Indeed. If they were squawking...which they would not have been in the visual circuit.
If they were specifically directed to squawk standby perhaps; but these days it is not uncommon to be given a specific squawk for the visual circuit or retain your recovery squawk. This aids VCRs equipped with SA radars and preserves TCAS functionality and SA modes for the crews in the busiest bit of sky.
It was all very different back in the day - leader only squawks in a 4-ship etc, but times change.