I would like to thank all those people who replied to this post.
It has proved very helpful.
Just one more question if I may.
Do you ATCs come across aircraft with no transponders from time to time?
If you saw an aircraft take of from somewhere in the countryside for instance and it had no transponder signal, what would be the course of action?
Lon More wrote this:
In the light of continuing threats is this the sort of info we should be giving out?
I can assure you Lon More I am not a terrorist, I am quite the contrary.