transponder !

[tangovictor]

Im wondering if someone can set me right please
your flying along having been given a squark number
you reach the end of that ATC / zone / matz and report leaving zone, and switching radio to 123.123Mhz, do you also say switching transponder back to 7000 ?

[mm_flynn]

Whenever I inform someone, who has given me a squawk, that I am going to the next frequency they always confirm this, tell me to "squawk 7000", or ask me to "stay with them" or say "keep current squawk and contact xxx". The communication has never been ambiguous.

In principle once you are no longer talking to the unit that gave you the squawk you should be on 7000 (and keep the Mode C on!) but both you and they should have agreed you are no longer talking to each other.

[Chilli Monster]

If you haven't been given another squawk to set and you're just switching to another frequency of your choice - yes.

BUT

If you're told to CONTACT another unit (i.e - handover effected) and you're not told to squawk 7000 but haven't been allocated another code leave the existing one on - sometimes the change is left to the receiving unit.

[FlyingForFun]

I wouldn't recommend changing squawk without checking with ATC first.

The general idea that you go back to a 7000 squawk when you finish talking to someone is sound, but you ought to be instructed to do that, probably in the way mm_flynn describes.

If you are not told to squawk 7000 when leaving a frequency, there's a good chance it's an oversight, in which case "confirm squawk 7000?" will clear it up. But I wouldn't just get rid of a squawk because it doesn't seem right any more.

FFF
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[tangovictor]

thank you for your replies, a lot clearer now :D