Narrative:

Departed cdw en route sward via overflt of teb thence to hudson river toward col (VOR). After departing cdw climbed to 1600 and proceeded east toward teb. Called teb tower with request to transit air traffic area en route eastbound. I received an affirmative response with clearance, however, I believe the response was interfered with by an outside source which approved transit through the air traffic area at 1600'. As I proceeded eastbound I was called by the tower with a request for confirmation of altitude. I replied with '1600 ft' and was advised by the tower that they had cleared me through the air traffic area at 1000', not 1600'. I immediately advised them of such and reduced my altitude to 1000'. I suspect that an outside source, possibly a hand-held transmitter might have interfered with the tower's transmission of the altitude, since en route to teb I had heard non-standard xmissions on their frequency (119.5). I retrospect I suspect I should have notified teb tower of the non-standard traffic on their frequency prior to my request to transit the air traffic area. Furthermore, had the tower controller heard such traffic he should have advised aircraft on the frequency of same. The increase of hand-held transmitters available to anyone with the money to pay for them may pose a hazard to aircraft in flight by persons being disruptive intentionally or not intentionally while using the transmitters for non-standard aircraft functions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA UNDERSTOOD TRANSIT TEB ATA AT 1600' MSL. TWR CTLR INTERVENED AND STATED 1000' MSL.

Narrative: DEPARTED CDW ENRTE SWARD VIA OVERFLT OF TEB THENCE TO HUDSON RIVER TOWARD COL (VOR). AFTER DEPARTING CDW CLBED TO 1600 AND PROCEEDED E TOWARD TEB. CALLED TEB TWR WITH REQUEST TO TRANSIT ATA ENRTE EBND. I RECEIVED AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE WITH CLRNC, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE RESPONSE WAS INTERFERED WITH BY AN OUTSIDE SOURCE WHICH APPROVED TRANSIT THROUGH THE ATA AT 1600'. AS I PROCEEDED EBND I WAS CALLED BY THE TWR WITH A REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF ALT. I REPLIED WITH '1600 FT' AND WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT THEY HAD CLRED ME THROUGH THE ATA AT 1000', NOT 1600'. I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THEM OF SUCH AND REDUCED MY ALT TO 1000'. I SUSPECT THAT AN OUTSIDE SOURCE, POSSIBLY A HAND-HELD XMITTER MIGHT HAVE INTERFERED WITH THE TWR'S XMISSION OF THE ALT, SINCE ENRTE TO TEB I HAD HEARD NON-STANDARD XMISSIONS ON THEIR FREQ (119.5). I RETROSPECT I SUSPECT I SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED TEB TWR OF THE NON-STANDARD TFC ON THEIR FREQ PRIOR TO MY REQUEST TO TRANSIT THE ATA. FURTHERMORE, HAD THE TWR CTLR HEARD SUCH TFC HE SHOULD HAVE ADVISED ACFT ON THE FREQ OF SAME. THE INCREASE OF HAND-HELD XMITTERS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WITH THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM MAY POSE A HAZARD TO ACFT IN FLT BY PERSONS BEING DISRUPTIVE INTENTIONALLY OR NOT INTENTIONALLY WHILE USING THE XMITTERS FOR NON-STANDARD ACFT FUNCTIONS.

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.