SMA DEPARTS IMC; HAS PTT PROBLEM RESULTING IN POOR TRANSMISSION. NAV 1 FAILS. ASSIGNED VFR ON TOP BUT REMAINED AT INST ALT.

Narrative

THIS WAS THE DEP FROM HELL. A THOROUGH PREFLT PRECEDED TKOF. AT ABOUT 800 FT; HOWEVER; THE PTT BUTTON STARTED JITTERING; SO THAT RECEPTION (AND PRESUMABLY XMISSION) WAS 'MOTORBOATING.' THIS CAUSED EXTRAORDINARY DISTR AS I WAS ENTERING THE CLOUDS. FIRST; IT CAUSED A DELAY IN ACTIVATING THE TRANSPONDER FROM 'STANDBY.' SECOND; THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN; SO I WAS TRYING TO FLY THE PLANE SOLO; IN THE SOUP AT LOW ALT; AND DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IN A FEW MINS; I UNPLUGGED THE PLT PTT AND HEADSET; AND GRABBED THE PAX'S SIDE SET. THIS REQUIRED REACHING ACROSS THE PAX SIDE YOKE TO ACTIVATE THE PTT. AND; JUST TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS A FLT FROM HELL; NAV 1 FAILED. IT HAD BEEN CHKED OUT BY AN AVIONICS SHOP IMMEDIATELY BEFORE FLT; AND I WAS ASSURED ALL WAS WELL. AT SOME POINT WITHIN 15 MINS OF THIS; I WAS GIVEN VFR ON TOP; HDG 210 DEGS. EITHER I WAS SO RATTLED FROM THE EQUIP FAILURES OR FROM COMS PROBLEMS; BUT I REMAINED AT THE LAST ASSIGNED ALT; 9000 FT; INSTEAD OF CLBING TO A VFR ALT; 9500 FT. THIS CAME TO LIGHT WHEN I REQUESTED DIRECT OLM; AS I WAS FLYING THE LAST ASSIGNED HDG (210 DEGS). THIS GOT THE CTLR'S ATTN. I CAN FIND NOTHING IN THE RULES WHICH ALLOWS ME TO LEAVE THE LAST ASSIGNED HDG WITHOUT A 'RESUME OWN NAV' OR OTHER CLRNC. PERHAPS ONE WAS ISSUED; BUT NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. WITH REGARD TO HUMAN FACTORS; A LACK OF CURRENT EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ALTDEV. MY LETTING EARLY MECHANICAL TROUBLES INFECT LATER PHASES OF FLT COMPOUNDED THIS.