Multi-link transponder for aircraft and method of providing multi-link transponder capability to an aircraft having an existing transponder

A method of providing transponder capability to an aircraft, the method comprising:

• positioning an aircraft transponder system in an aircraft, the transponder system comprising a transponder, at least one receiver, and a housing that houses the transponder and the at least one receiver;
• transmitting transponder information with the transponder, wherein the transponder information pertains to the aircraft in which the transponder is positioned;
• receiving other information with the at least one receiver, at least some of the other information pertaining to another aircraft, the received other information further comprising different types of data on multiple different frequencies, wherein the at least one receiver comprises a UAT receiver, wherein the at least one receiver further comprises an extended squitter receiver receiving data from an aircraft equipped with an extended squitter transmitter;
• receiving data from a ground station and from a UAT-equipped aircraft with the UAT receiver;
• and
• selectively displaying information derived from the other information received from the at least one receiver and information to guide user input selection of the transponder information transmitted by the transponder on a display, such that information derived from the at least one receiver is depicted on one portion of the display and information to guide user input selection of the transponder information transmitted by the transponder is depicted on another portion of the display.