Narrative:

The captain was flying. We had taken off on runway 8R den 8 departure (vector). We were level at 14000' wbound crossing the den 230 degree right 20 NM at 250 KTS. We had just entered light to moderate rain shower. Static was heavy on the radio. We heard departure control call us faintly through the static. Captain started climb to FL260. I called for clarification. Departure control came through loud and clear, 'remain at 14000' and turn to 260.' we descended from 14700 to 14000' and were told that there was an air carrier Y at 15000' eastbound at 1 mi. Shortly thereafter (23 NM) we were cleared to FL230. The den 8 departure special instructions caution: 'aircraft wbound between den R-230 and R-300 which have not received climb clearance above 14000' prior to 20 mi west shall squawk identify. Climb immediately to 15000' and advise.' the above caution had us ready to start climb since we were at that point. The poor radio transmission quality caused some confusion. Considering the above caution, I do not believe there should be eastbound aircraft assigned to 15000' in this airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL LOSS OF SEPARATION AND POTENTIAL CLOSE PROX BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT. PLT DEVIATION OR OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS FLYING. WE HAD TAKEN OFF ON RWY 8R DEN 8 DEP (VECTOR). WE WERE LEVEL AT 14000' WBOUND XING THE DEN 230 DEG R 20 NM AT 250 KTS. WE HAD JUST ENTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN SHOWER. STATIC WAS HEAVY ON THE RADIO. WE HEARD DEP CTL CALL US FAINTLY THROUGH THE STATIC. CAPT STARTED CLB TO FL260. I CALLED FOR CLARIFICATION. DEP CTL CAME THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR, 'REMAIN AT 14000' AND TURN TO 260.' WE DSNDED FROM 14700 TO 14000' AND WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ACR Y AT 15000' EBND AT 1 MI. SHORTLY THEREAFTER (23 NM) WE WERE CLRED TO FL230. THE DEN 8 DEP SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION: 'ACFT WBOUND BTWN DEN R-230 AND R-300 WHICH HAVE NOT RECEIVED CLB CLRNC ABOVE 14000' PRIOR TO 20 MI W SHALL SQUAWK IDENT. CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 15000' AND ADVISE.' THE ABOVE CAUTION HAD US READY TO START CLB SINCE WE WERE AT THAT POINT. THE POOR RADIO XMISSION QUALITY CAUSED SOME CONFUSION. CONSIDERING THE ABOVE CAUTION, I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE EBND ACFT ASSIGNED TO 15000' IN THIS AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.