Narrative:

We departed eagle county airport (ege), co, VFR with instructions from eagle radio to contact denver center at 10000 ft to pick up our IFR clearance to dallas. Although we could hear denver center at 10000 ft, they did not respond to our calls until we reached approximately 13000 ft. The controller sounded excessively anxious and preoccupied with a missed approach by a military aircraft. When contact was established, denver center asked for our position and we advised him we were approximately 20 mi ese of eagle airport. Center then asked for our radial and DME from red table VOR. We incorrectly advised center our position was 230 degrees at 20 DME. We had advised us that he could not find us on radar, and asked us to confirm that our transponder was set correctly. We checked and confirmed everything was set correctly and appeared to be operational. Center asked again for a position report from red table, and we again reported bearing in error. The controller advised us to remain VFR (which we did) until he could correctly identify us on radar. He then asked us for our position relative to the blue mesa VOR. We correctly advised him of our position north of the VOR. The controller then found us on radar and informed us we were east of eagle airport not west as we had been reporting. As we reached 17000 ft we asked if we were cleared to FL230, and the controller confirmed that we were. He then gave us a route clearance to dallas. A few mins later the controller advised us to call the denver center supervisor after landing to discuss a 'possible pilot deviation.' when asked, he refused to tell us what clearance he claims we deviated from. The remainder of the trip was very routine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT GIVES WRONG POS AFTER TKOF AND CLBS ABOVE STATED ALT FOR IFR FLT DUE TO RADIO RECEPTION.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED EAGLE COUNTY ARPT (EGE), CO, VFR WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM EAGLE RADIO TO CONTACT DENVER CTR AT 10000 FT TO PICK UP OUR IFR CLRNC TO DALLAS. ALTHOUGH WE COULD HEAR DENVER CTR AT 10000 FT, THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR CALLS UNTIL WE REACHED APPROX 13000 FT. THE CTLR SOUNDED EXCESSIVELY ANXIOUS AND PREOCCUPIED WITH A MISSED APCH BY A MIL ACFT. WHEN CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED, DENVER CTR ASKED FOR OUR POS AND WE ADVISED HIM WE WERE APPROX 20 MI ESE OF EAGLE ARPT. CTR THEN ASKED FOR OUR RADIAL AND DME FROM RED TABLE VOR. WE INCORRECTLY ADVISED CTR OUR POS WAS 230 DEGS AT 20 DME. WE HAD ADVISED US THAT HE COULD NOT FIND US ON RADAR, AND ASKED US TO CONFIRM THAT OUR TRANSPONDER WAS SET CORRECTLY. WE CHKED AND CONFIRMED EVERYTHING WAS SET CORRECTLY AND APPEARED TO BE OPERATIONAL. CTR ASKED AGAIN FOR A POS RPT FROM RED TABLE, AND WE AGAIN RPTED BEARING IN ERROR. THE CTLR ADVISED US TO REMAIN VFR (WHICH WE DID) UNTIL HE COULD CORRECTLY IDENT US ON RADAR. HE THEN ASKED US FOR OUR POS RELATIVE TO THE BLUE MESA VOR. WE CORRECTLY ADVISED HIM OF OUR POS N OF THE VOR. THE CTLR THEN FOUND US ON RADAR AND INFORMED US WE WERE E OF EAGLE ARPT NOT W AS WE HAD BEEN RPTING. AS WE REACHED 17000 FT WE ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO FL230, AND THE CTLR CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE. HE THEN GAVE US A RTE CLRNC TO DALLAS. A FEW MINS LATER THE CTLR ADVISED US TO CALL THE DENVER CTR SUPVR AFTER LNDG TO DISCUSS A 'POSSIBLE PLTDEV.' WHEN ASKED, HE REFUSED TO TELL US WHAT CLRNC HE CLAIMS WE DEVIATED FROM. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP WAS VERY ROUTINE.

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.