Narrative:

On a vector with clearance to deviate and in area of thunderstorms we lost contact with center. Abq I believe. We either ran out of range or lost them in precipitation static. We got our new frequency through company SELCAL. When we contacted the new controller we received a verbal reprimand for 'deviating when you were cleared direct.' we had deviated north (this is a flight from cvg to san) to go around one buildup. The controller stated that we had come to a mi from company traffic which he was controling. When deviations are in progress and thunderstorms are in the area or when cleared to deviate would it be possible to learn what the next frequency will be, just in case? While I have your ear, I wonder why we don't drop the zero when talking about flight levels. Its always there, we're never cleared to 335 or 351, always 330 or 350 etc. Clearing a flight to FL35 will never be confused with a turn to 350 degrees. Altitudes and headings (always given 3 digits) would never be mistaken for one another and traffic on the radio would be reduced. I've tried this when reading back climb and descent clrncs (eg, 'roger, cleared to 31') and it seems to work well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT ENSUES WHEN ACR LGT DEVIATES AROUND CLOUD BUILDUP FOR WX AVOIDANCE.

Narrative: ON A VECTOR WITH CLRNC TO DEVIATE AND IN AREA OF TSTMS WE LOST CONTACT WITH CENTER. ABQ I BELIEVE. WE EITHER RAN OUT OF RANGE OR LOST THEM IN PRECIP STATIC. WE GOT OUR NEW FREQ THROUGH COMPANY SELCAL. WHEN WE CONTACTED THE NEW CTLR WE RECEIVED A VERBAL REPRIMAND FOR 'DEVIATING WHEN YOU WERE CLRED DIRECT.' WE HAD DEVIATED N (THIS IS A FLT FROM CVG TO SAN) TO GAR ONE BUILDUP. THE CTLR STATED THAT WE HAD COME TO A MI FROM COMPANY TFC WHICH HE WAS CTLING. WHEN DEVS ARE IN PROGRESS AND TSTMS ARE IN THE AREA OR WHEN CLRED TO DEVIATE WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO LEARN WHAT THE NEXT FREQ WILL BE, JUST IN CASE? WHILE I HAVE YOUR EAR, I WONDER WHY WE DON'T DROP THE ZERO WHEN TALKING ABOUT FLT LEVELS. ITS ALWAYS THERE, WE'RE NEVER CLRED TO 335 OR 351, ALWAYS 330 OR 350 ETC. CLRING A FLT TO FL35 WILL NEVER BE CONFUSED WITH A TURN TO 350 DEGS. ALTS AND HDGS (ALWAYS GIVEN 3 DIGITS) WOULD NEVER BE MISTAKEN FOR ONE ANOTHER AND TFC ON THE RADIO WOULD BE REDUCED. I'VE TRIED THIS WHEN READING BACK CLB AND DSCNT CLRNCS (EG, 'ROGER, CLRED TO 31') AND IT SEEMS TO WORK WELL.

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.