CCR BRITE IS CERTIFIED (9-7-04)
The CCR BRITE in the first week of September will be certified so that aircraft may be asked to ‘ident' to distinguish one 1200 squawk from another. For the past year two aircraft in conflict could not be easily identified other than by pilot position inquiry.

FAR 91.215 Transponder Requirements
--Any airborne aircraft with a transponder is required to have it on. Mode C, if available, must be used.

--VFR use requires that Mode C be on when within 30 nautical miles of the primary airport of Class B airspace. See Sectional.

--Mode C is required in Class B airspace, and positive control areas (above 18,000'),

--Mode C is required in Class C airspace and above the lateral limits of the Class C airspace to 10,000'.

--Mode C is required above 12,500', below a positive control area (Classes B and C) if over 2,500' above ground level.

--Mode C is also required within 10 nm or airports at Billings, Montana, and Fargo, North Dakota. (Trivia question)

MODE 1 - military usage
MODE 2 - military usage
MODE 3 - civilian usage
MODE 3/A basic 4,096 code equipment
MODE 3/B not used
MODE 3/C altitude encoder equipment
MODE 4 - military usage

Then there is the occasional older aircraft that will waddle through the system with the old 64 code MARK "X" or
MODE "X" box.

MODE 3A
CODE 1200 through code 1267 are VFR with the vast majority of aircraft simply using 1200.

Codes 1270 through 1277 are allocated to Govt. agencies for use as a ground/surface based alignment of radar systems. These reply on the assigned discrete code 3/A and a special 3/C return not associated with the elevation of the target.

CODE 0000 block has some general usage in the system
CODE 0100 through 0700 are allocated for terminal radar approach control use.
CODE 1000 through 7400 are allocated by ARTCCs.
CODE 7500 = hijack
CODE 7600 = radio failure (NORDO)
CODE 7700= emergency.

MODE 3/C - Altitude encoded signals transmit down to the ground based on as altimeter reading of 29.92. Upon receipt of the signal the ATC computer converts the 29.92 value to actual altimeter setting for the computer area concerned. The computer transmits in 100-foot increments only.

If ATC shows you at 1,500 feet MSL, your aircraft would continue to transmit that value so long as you operated not lower then 1,450 feet and not higher then 1,549 feet.

Web Radar
Weather radar is available at the following sites.

Http://members.aol.com/weathernow/index.html

http://

http://

http://

http://wxp.atms.purdue.edu/radar.shtml

Radar Facilities
Oakland Center, Bay Approach, Travis Approach. In the years immediately preceding 2004 the Northern California Radar facilities have been progressively moved into the Sacramento Mather Field area.  The current term has been changed several times so it is now Norcal  Approach/Departure as the case may be . Travis Approach remains the same in name and service

. Some of the radar areas are depicted on charts and some are not. Those depicted require that communications be established or a clearance given be prior to arrival. The San Francisco Class B boundaries and information is shown in blue. An additional 30nm circle around San Francisco requires Mode C operation. The Class C airspace around airports having radar is shown in magenta has a ten mile inner circle in which a call up is required to approach just as though were Class D airspace. The outer 20 mile circle has a permissive call up.

In most situations the frequency and controller for approach or departure will be the same. The call up to approach or departure depends on whether you are coming or going. Your first call is brief, who you are and who you are talking to. If you received your transponder code while on the ground, your call-up gives only your identification and altitude.

The latest version of traffic control (TRACON) radar is the ASR-9. Weather circuits are included into TRACON radars but tends to eliminate airplanes when on. Weather depiction can be turned on but the controllers are not competent to make interpretations. Everything changes with ASR-9. ASR-9 is similar in color and display to aircraft radars. There are six levels of precipitation display. Level three and higher should be avoided by all aircraft. The controller who selects the level 3 key has all precipitation level three and higher shown brightly, levels 1 and 2 are shown at low intensity on the screen. As a pilot who is exposed to weather you should be prepared to ask the controller if he has ASR-9 radar display. Ask how many lights he has available (1 to 6) for light aircraft anything over 1 suggests that landing is a good option. Controller liability makes them generally reluctant to give weather advisories without hedging what they say.

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