Adding Squawk to reports

[Sketco]

Not sure if I'm being particularly dim, but is there a way to automatically add squawk code in the reporter or grids? or is this even possible? Cheers.

[RodBearden]

Hi Sketco and welcome to the forum.

I think I'm right in saying that you can't add squawks to the Reporter logs, but you can see the squawks on the grid - go to File... Preferences and tick the Squawk entry in the Visible Columns list. If it is ticked, you may need to scroll the grid to the right to see it, or you can remove columns you don't need on the same Preferences screen, or resize the map pane (drag the divider) so that you can see the squawks.

If by "Grids" you mean the MyLog grids, again there's no way of adding squawks to them.

Hope that helps

Rod

[Sketco]

Thanks Rod.
Yes I was referring to the logs (grid "my logs" and reporter.)
It's a constant source of frustration that when I'm away from the screen and an interesting flight comes up, I can't go back and review its squawk in the logs so that I can enter it into alerts. The squawk is also a good indicator for where I should be listening on the airband. I've added Squawkbox as a workaround aid. but again no log.
I was hoping there might be a hack for the database file. Oh well.
I do appreciate your response. At least now I can stop thumbing the manual :)
Cheers

[Chris11]

Bit confused here. The squawk is allocated by ATC as aircraft are allocated slots or call up for start. The squawk bears no relation to the aircraft or route flown. Squawks could (but rarely are) be changed en route.
I do not see what purpose setting an alert for a  squawk would assist you. 
I understand that one might want to know the squawk if listening to airband to help identify an aircraft when the squawk is transmitted to the aircraft as part of the ATC clearance or start up instructions

[Sketco]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the reply.  As you identified   (quote)"I understand that one might want to know the squawk if listening to airband to help identify an aircraft when the squawk is transmitted to the aircraft as part of the ATC clearance or start up instructions".
This is the primary use to me in knowing the squawk. Given finite resources in channel allocations on the receiver it is helpful in determining which frequencies might be included and which might not, or which group of frequencies might yield comms from a certain flight or area.
It is probably possible, but quite impractical to program every known frequency into the receiver.
Having the squawk available in the reporter means I can also build a pattern as an aid to programming frequencies for greater likelihood of traffic rather than a hunt and peck frequency range search. And it also means I don't have to be glued to the screen to see the squawk ( I love the hobby but I'm not married to it :))
As occured this morning,
The reporter returned this result:
AE0945  S289    01-0040 B73B  USA - Air Force      2011/12/21 02:23:02
Not much to go on.
As it happened, I was up and at the computer at the time and using the alert function on Squawkbox I was notified:
01-0040 3350 Swanwick mil
I had a ballpark frequency range to go looking at and there it was!
BUT... and this is what I find frustrating. I had to be there at the time. An ability to stipulate what fields are logged in the reporter would be sooo nice for reference, hence my original query.

Incidentally, thank you for alerting me to the possibility, though rare, that squawks might change enroute. I encountered exactly that, and was left rubbing my eyes (it was early am) to be sure I'd seen it happen.
A49929  CMB461  N396AX  B763  Omni Air Internat... 2011/12/21 03:22:22
Showed initially on Squawkbox as N396AX 4121 Transit  (ORCAM) Frankfurt, then just over the Irish Sea it changed to N396AX 4144 Transit  (ORCAM) Dusseldorf. So for a brief moment I had 2 N396AX flights in Squawkbox. Interesting.

Cheers

[Runway 31]

As far as I am aware each airport has squawks that are allocated to them and are used for the aircraft under their control and I would imagine that it will be the same for aircraft operating on airways. The squawk used by the aircraft is allocated by the controller handling the flight and changes a number of times for each flight operated.

Alan

[tarbat]

The problem with including squawk code in the log is that it can change several times during a flight as the aircraft transits different zones.  That would generate multiple log records for each flight.

If all you want is a list of squawk codes used throughout the day, then you could try this:
1. Start Recording in Radarbox
2. At the end of the day, stop recording
3. Open the recorder file in Excel, as a comma delimited file
4. All the squawk codes will be in column L

You could then sort by column L to see what squawk codes are in use.

[Sketco]

Tarbat,
Thank you for your time and effort. Very much appreciated.
This may just be the workaround I can live with.
And thanks to all who responded.
Cheers