Transponder code

A transponder code or transponder signal, was a type of signal broadcasted by and used to identify starships, or at least starships whose owners obeyed the law. An individual ship's transponder was built into the vessel itself. A transponder could be used for the purpose of tracking. Droids also made use of transponder codes. Some smuggling ships, such as the Millennium Falcon, were capable of transmitting false transponder codes. Transponder signals could be utilized to unlock starships from the outside.

Information contained within a ship's transponder included, but was not limited to, its name, port of registry, captain, and weapons profile. With the transponder therefore identifying any ship in question, law enforcement agencies used transponder codes to identify wanted vessels. In the same vein, if a ship was without a proper transponder, law enforcers might be clued into the fact it was being used in criminal activity.

Text and facts from the “Transponder code” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.