Narrative:

Initial climb out from fll, vector from fll departure control, 11000 ft MSL heading 330 degrees. Departure asked us to navigate between cells straight ahead, then handed us off to miami center who 'had higher altitude and avoidance vector for us.' miami (132.45) was overwhelmed with radio traffic. We attempted two contacts; neither was responded to as miami continued to address other flts. While trying to establish contact, we closed from 25 miles to 10 miles from a line of WX painting red at our altitude. I directed my first officer to turn to a 020 degree heading and transmitted, 'company # is making an emergency turn to 020 degrees.' miami immediately confirmed our call sign, then issued us a clearance to fly a 020 degree heading. Several frequencys later (125.07) with less busy controllers, I asked miami center if our earlier turned had caused any traffic concerns. The controller checked and said, 'there were no problems involving other aircraft.' we did not squawk 7700 nor declare an emergency because miami immediately issued us clearances around the WX once we had started our turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW OFF FLL HANDED OFF TO ZMA HAVE DIFFICULTY CONTACTING CTLR BECAUSE OF FREQ CONGESTION, MAKE AN EMER BROADCAST TURNING TO 020 DEGS FOR WX.

Narrative: INITIAL CLB OUT FROM FLL, VECTOR FROM FLL DEP CTL, 11000 FT MSL HDG 330 DEGS. DEP ASKED US TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN CELLS STRAIGHT AHEAD, THEN HANDED US OFF TO MIAMI CTR WHO 'HAD HIGHER ALT AND AVOIDANCE VECTOR FOR US.' MIAMI (132.45) WAS OVERWHELMED WITH RADIO TFC. WE ATTEMPTED TWO CONTACTS; NEITHER WAS RESPONDED TO AS MIAMI CONTINUED TO ADDRESS OTHER FLTS. WHILE TRYING TO ESTABLISH CONTACT, WE CLOSED FROM 25 MILES TO 10 MILES FROM A LINE OF WX PAINTING RED AT OUR ALT. I DIRECTED MY FO TO TURN TO A 020 DEG HDG AND XMITTED, 'COMPANY # IS MAKING AN EMER TURN TO 020 DEGS.' MIAMI IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED OUR CALL SIGN, THEN ISSUED US A CLRNC TO FLY A 020 DEG HDG. SEVERAL FREQS LATER (125.07) WITH LESS BUSY CTLRS, I ASKED MIAMI CTR IF OUR EARLIER TURNED HAD CAUSED ANY TFC CONCERNS. THE CTLR CHECKED AND SAID, 'THERE WERE NO PROBS INVOLVING OTHER ACFT.' WE DID NOT SQUAWK 7700 NOR DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE MIAMI IMMEDIATELY ISSUED US CLEARANCES AROUND THE WX ONCE WE HAD STARTED OUR TURN.

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.