Narrative:

Called flight service station at XA00, was told of temporary restr area (tfr). As I understood, it was a 30 mi radius from the ventura VOR. I took off from long beach at XB30, turned west through the la special flight rules airspace to santa monica, then north. I had assumed that this would keep me well east of the tfr. While transitioning through the special flight rules area I was squawking XXXX and monitoring 128.55 as directed by the la terminal chart. At approximately 7 mi south of the van nuys airport, I called socal approach for advisories to my destination at mammoth lakes, ca (mmh). I was told to turn east to clear me from the tfr and call an 800 number at ZLA. What I think I did wrong was to assume that all tfr's were to be a fixed distance from an established NAVAID, ie, a VOR. When I heard the FAA WX briefer mention a fix from the ventura VOR of a 037 degrees and 5.7 mi, I took this to mean that the tfr was to protect something from that location, not that the 30 mi radius was to originate from that position. This of course extended the restr area more easterly than I had thought. Conclusion, I should have stopped the fast talking briefer to ask specific questions and not assume anything. I am however puzzled over the fact that I was clearly seen on radar through the la special flight rules area and monitoring 128.55. I had made 3 position reports during this time. Could ZLA have called to divert me? I have heard this done before! To keep things less complicated, why not use a VOR as the origin of a fix for a specific distance?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION AS TO THE DEFINED CTR OF A TFR WITH A 30 MI RADIUS ENDS IN AN INCURSION INTO THE AIRSPACE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS CONSTANT CONTACT WITH ATC.

Narrative: CALLED FLT SVC STATION AT XA00, WAS TOLD OF TEMPORARY RESTR AREA (TFR). AS I UNDERSTOOD, IT WAS A 30 MI RADIUS FROM THE VENTURA VOR. I TOOK OFF FROM LONG BEACH AT XB30, TURNED W THROUGH THE LA SPECIAL FLT RULES AIRSPACE TO SANTA MONICA, THEN N. I HAD ASSUMED THAT THIS WOULD KEEP ME WELL E OF THE TFR. WHILE TRANSITIONING THROUGH THE SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA I WAS SQUAWKING XXXX AND MONITORING 128.55 AS DIRECTED BY THE LA TERMINAL CHART. AT APPROX 7 MI S OF THE VAN NUYS ARPT, I CALLED SOCAL APCH FOR ADVISORIES TO MY DEST AT MAMMOTH LAKES, CA (MMH). I WAS TOLD TO TURN E TO CLR ME FROM THE TFR AND CALL AN 800 NUMBER AT ZLA. WHAT I THINK I DID WRONG WAS TO ASSUME THAT ALL TFR'S WERE TO BE A FIXED DISTANCE FROM AN ESTABLISHED NAVAID, IE, A VOR. WHEN I HEARD THE FAA WX BRIEFER MENTION A FIX FROM THE VENTURA VOR OF A 037 DEGS AND 5.7 MI, I TOOK THIS TO MEAN THAT THE TFR WAS TO PROTECT SOMETHING FROM THAT LOCATION, NOT THAT THE 30 MI RADIUS WAS TO ORIGINATE FROM THAT POS. THIS OF COURSE EXTENDED THE RESTR AREA MORE EASTERLY THAN I HAD THOUGHT. CONCLUSION, I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE FAST TALKING BRIEFER TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. I AM HOWEVER PUZZLED OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS CLRLY SEEN ON RADAR THROUGH THE LA SPECIAL FLT RULES AREA AND MONITORING 128.55. I HAD MADE 3 POS RPTS DURING THIS TIME. COULD ZLA HAVE CALLED TO DIVERT ME? I HAVE HEARD THIS DONE BEFORE! TO KEEP THINGS LESS COMPLICATED, WHY NOT USE A VOR AS THE ORIGIN OF A FIX FOR A SPECIFIC DISTANCE?

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.