Anything unusual of squawk 0143 for MH17?

[1stspotter]

MH17 was squawking 0143 at July 17.
I understand this squawk is part of a range used for experimental activities.
Wikipedia says:
Allocated to Service Area Operations for assignment for use by Terminal/CERAP/Industry/Unique Purpose/Experimental Activities (USA)[15]

Is this squawk unusual?

[Dash8driver1312]

The aircraft was not in American airspace, so your cherry picking of a publicly-edited website in any case is not valid. Just because a set is reserved in one country does not hold true in another.

Best example therein, conspicuity is 1200 in the US, and 7000 in the UK.

[Talkdownman]

According to the Code Allocation in UK IAIP ENR 1.6-8 SSR Code 0143 is from code block 0140-0177 'Transit (ORCAM) Amsterdam' (ORCAM being 'Originating Region Code Assignment Method'). SSR Code 0143 is not unusual.

[west lakes]

0143
EU and UK ORCAM Amsterdam Centre

No doubt different in Ukranian airspace

[eglnyt]

Ukraine is an ECAC state so you would expect it to use the EU ORCAM codes at least on entry into Ukraine airspace.

[Lon More]

where no conflicting code is in the system the ORCAM code is retained.

Google EUROPEAN SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE RADAR (SSR) CODE MANAGEMENT PLAN - appendices A & B for maps of the areas involved