7700 squawk and the media

[darkbarly]

These days such idents result in a frenzy of sensational and inaccurate reporting by the media.
​​​Transponders are complicated pieces of equipment I appreciate but wondered if there is any way to inhibit the public tracking of an aircraft once the crew select 77, or 76 etc. By this I mean ATC would still see it on secondary/MLAT etc. but the selection of this specific code renders ordinary or non-regulated voyeur tracking inoperative? A discrete conspicuity code if you will.

As a transport industry we do not want to discourage customers from flying who simply do not appreciate the difference between the number of events v the rate (of airborne issues that err on the side of caution). Yes, things go wrong but not to the extent abusive sources declare for no other reason than to profit from clickbait.

Technically, can it be done?




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[DaveReidUK]

These days such idents result in a frenzy of sensational and inaccurate reporting by the media.
​​​Transponders are complicated pieces of equipment I appreciate but wondered if there is any way to inhibit the public tracking of an aircraft once the crew select 77, or 76 etc. By this I mean ATC would still see it on secondary/MLAT etc. but the selection of this specific code renders ordinary or non-regulated voyeur tracking inoperative? A discrete conspicuity code if you will.

As a transport industry we do not want to discourage customers from flying who simply do not appreciate the difference between the number of events v the rate (of airborne issues that err on the side of caution). Yes, things go wrong but not to the extent abusive sources declare for no other reason than to profit from clickbait.

Technically, can it be done?​​

Technically, anything can be done if you throw enough money at something. Whether it would be cost-effective, or indeed whether there would be any point at all, is a different question.

Why not spend a fraction of the cost to educate the media that the vast majority of 7700 squawks are plain old medical emergencies. Move along, nothing to see here.

[Warren Peace]

In order to block such sites, FR24, 360Radar, ADSBExchange, you would need to equip all of the very many "approved" receivers with the ability to process the new encoded squawks. Then you need to replace every transponder, in every aircraft. Look how hard it has been to get Mode-S and ADSB fitted everywhere.

The simple explanation of SSR is that it is broadcast, with the emphasis on broad.

How do you propose to stop some receivers picking it up, but not others? This is not Link16 or HaveQuick.

Once you have resolved the issue with FR24, how are you going to deal with the stuff that cost me just 85 GBP, to provide a live display in my house, and relies on nobody else? No internet, no feeds from NATS. Just a computer listening to the radio and translating SSR pulses to a visual image with a look and feel, very like a watchman console.