Narrative:

Filed IFR flight plan with anderson by telephone. Briefer had indicated ceilings approximately 1500 ft 1 hour earlier. Recently landed pilot indicated as low as 700 ft AGL in places but 1500 ft other. The rco (remote communication outlet) there is sometimes confusing to use (? Connects to telephone) and briefers have sometimes seemed irritated and encouraged me to obtain clearance in the air. I thought I could remain VFR and obtain clearance from atl approach. However on climb out I entered scattered clouds at approximately 500 ft AGL and felt I was too low to circle so I called approach on published frequency 119.8 and tried to remain VFR. That proved impossible so I paid attention to flying the plane and used IFR approved GPS moving map to stay over airport. Finally reached atl approach on a different frequency 119.3 (last one used on arrival day before) and was very grateful to pick up a clearance. Was in clouds approximately 3 mins without a clearance. I think I may have incorrectly calculated the zulu time (daylight versus standard time) when filing the flight plan, which further delayed atlanta approach in finding it. In future if any question of ceiling at an uncontrolled field I will get a clearance by phone or rco. Never again will I allow myself to make this mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FSS PUSHED FOR GETTING A CLRNC IN THE AIR AFTER DEP BELOW THE ATL CLASS B. PLT AGREED BUT HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING RADIO CONTACT. HE ENDED UP IMC BEFORE CONTACT WAS MADE.

Narrative: FILED IFR FLT PLAN WITH ANDERSON BY TELEPHONE. BRIEFER HAD INDICATED CEILINGS APPROX 1500 FT 1 HR EARLIER. RECENTLY LANDED PLT INDICATED AS LOW AS 700 FT AGL IN PLACES BUT 1500 FT OTHER. THE RCO (REMOTE COM OUTLET) THERE IS SOMETIMES CONFUSING TO USE (? CONNECTS TO TELEPHONE) AND BRIEFERS HAVE SOMETIMES SEEMED IRRITATED AND ENCOURAGED ME TO OBTAIN CLRNC IN THE AIR. I THOUGHT I COULD REMAIN VFR AND OBTAIN CLRNC FROM ATL APCH. HOWEVER ON CLBOUT I ENTERED SCATTERED CLOUDS AT APPROX 500 FT AGL AND FELT I WAS TOO LOW TO CIRCLE SO I CALLED APCH ON PUBLISHED FREQ 119.8 AND TRIED TO REMAIN VFR. THAT PROVED IMPOSSIBLE SO I PAID ATTN TO FLYING THE PLANE AND USED IFR APPROVED GPS MOVING MAP TO STAY OVER ARPT. FINALLY REACHED ATL APCH ON A DIFFERENT FREQ 119.3 (LAST ONE USED ON ARR DAY BEFORE) AND WAS VERY GRATEFUL TO PICK UP A CLRNC. WAS IN CLOUDS APPROX 3 MINS WITHOUT A CLRNC. I THINK I MAY HAVE INCORRECTLY CALCULATED THE ZULU TIME (DAYLIGHT VERSUS STANDARD TIME) WHEN FILING THE FLT PLAN, WHICH FURTHER DELAYED ATLANTA APCH IN FINDING IT. IN FUTURE IF ANY QUESTION OF CEILING AT AN UNCTLED FIELD I WILL GET A CLRNC BY PHONE OR RCO. NEVER AGAIN WILL I ALLOW MYSELF TO MAKE THIS MISTAKE.

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.