A GA pilot reports intermittent operation of his transponder departing yip and in the ZOB area.

Attributes
ACN	240371
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yip
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : yip artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	240371
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Yip tower advised not receiving mode C transponder readout. On arrival at AM00 local, no complaint was recorded or noted. Transponder was checked and found switch in altitude code 1200. Reply indicator was flashing. Yip still claimed no mode C. Check with ZOB after leaving yip air traffic area indicated transponder was operating properly including mode C. On departure from jackson, mi (jan), at PM00 local, checked with lansing (lan) approach for transponder check. Lan reported transponder received code 1200, altitude 3.5 -- cruise was at 3500 ft MSL. Conclusion: this transponder was functioning properly. Note: this transponder was recently checked because of similar complaints and found to be properly operating by a repair station. Suggested corrective actions: transponder inoperative complaints from dtw and satellite radar facilities have been frequently given to numerous aircraft at all times. Generally, the next controller down the line is unable to confirm transponder problem and radio shop can't find a problem. This would suggest that dtw radar has a problem and they should refrain from issuing transponder problem reports until their ground facilities are appropriately repaired/replaced. I have discussed this with several owners and pilots in the area and they all have similar concerns.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GA PLT RPTS INTERMITTENT OP OF HIS XPONDER DEPARTING YIP AND IN THE ZOB AREA.

Narrative: YIP TWR ADVISED NOT RECEIVING MODE C XPONDER READOUT. ON ARR AT AM00 LCL, NO COMPLAINT WAS RECORDED OR NOTED. XPONDER WAS CHKED AND FOUND SWITCH IN ALT CODE 1200. REPLY INDICATOR WAS FLASHING. YIP STILL CLAIMED NO MODE C. CHK WITH ZOB AFTER LEAVING YIP ATA INDICATED XPONDER WAS OPERATING PROPERLY INCLUDING MODE C. ON DEP FROM JACKSON, MI (JAN), AT PM00 LCL, CHKED WITH LANSING (LAN) APCH FOR XPONDER CHK. LAN RPTED XPONDER RECEIVED CODE 1200, ALT 3.5 -- CRUISE WAS AT 3500 FT MSL. CONCLUSION: THIS XPONDER WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. NOTE: THIS XPONDER WAS RECENTLY CHKED BECAUSE OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FOUND TO BE PROPERLY OPERATING BY A REPAIR STATION. SUGGESTED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: XPONDER INOP COMPLAINTS FROM DTW AND SATELLITE RADAR FACILITIES HAVE BEEN FREQUENTLY GIVEN TO NUMEROUS ACFT AT ALL TIMES. GENERALLY, THE NEXT CTLR DOWN THE LINE IS UNABLE TO CONFIRM XPONDER PROB AND RADIO SHOP CAN'T FIND A PROB. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT DTW RADAR HAS A PROB AND THEY SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ISSUING XPONDER PROB RPTS UNTIL THEIR GND FACILITIES ARE APPROPRIATELY REPAIRED/REPLACED. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH SEVERAL OWNERS AND PLTS IN THE AREA AND THEY ALL HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.