Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 300; Flight Crew Type 300
Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Human Factors
I am filling this out more because I am sensing a large proficiency issue in the GA community that is growing due to the introduction of ADS/B in the cockpit.  Due to a cockpit distraction back at the tie down; I never entered my beacon code in the transponder - I was still squawking 1200. I only realized the mistake when switching to departure.  Seconds before that realization; I was also given a heading change. I guess between the heading change; the realization that I needed to punch in my code and the fact that the radios are to my right (supposition on my part) - I started a turn to the right instead of the left and transposed to heading to 030 in my head.  That's my guess what got me in to a bad situation - not the issues I mainly want to address. I did have a short discussion with departure as to if I made the wrong turn. It was unclear if I had.  Regardless; when I turned; I immediately got a traffic alert. It mentioned traffic less than one mile.  It also said something about 'climbing.' At this point I was confused. I didn't know if the traffic was climbing or it was telling me to climb. I remember reading the manual over a year ago; but I could not recall the details. Consequently; I leveled off; searched and found my traffic.  No evasive action was warranted.  I then continued my climb.  When our ADS/B unit was installed; I read how there was a traffic alert feature.  Until that day; I never got to experience how it worked.  I think there is potentially a growing proficiency problem in GA now that we have ADS/B - specifically 'TCAS like' traffic alerts.  We need to come up with a way for us GA pilots to experience traffic alerts for their kind of ADS/B equipment so that we are proficient on our actions and; equally important; not surprised by the alerts.
C172 pilot reported failure in training to understand ADSB alerts and resolutions.