AN ACR LGT PLT CLBED ABOVE ITS ASSIGNED ALT CAUSING A TCASII ALERT.

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WAS CLRED TO 10000 FT MSL BY DEP CTL. AFTER REACHING 10000 FT MSL; I MISTAKENLY BELIEVED I WAS CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT; AND REDUCED RATE OF CLB TO 500 FPM TO ALLOW ACFT TO ACCELERATE FROM THE 250 KT SPD LIMIT TO A CLB SPD OF 310 KTS. AT 10300 FT MSL; A TCASII ALERT SOUNDED; COMMANDING 'REDUCE VERT SPD.' THE TCASII COMMAND WAS LOUD ENOUGH TO MASK THE AURAL WARNING OF THE ALT ALERTER. THE TCASII DISPLAY SHOWED THE CONFLICTING TFC TO BE AT APPROX THE 1:30 O'CLOCK POS AND 8 NM AND PLUS 800 FT. I STOPPED THE CLB AT 10350 FT MSL; AND NOW BEGINNING TO SUSPECT THAT I MIGHT BE IN ERROR AS TO ALT; I BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THE ALT ALERTER FOR CONFIRMATION. LOCATING THE ALT REMINDER TOOK MORE TIME THAN DESIRED DUE TO NON-STANDARDIZATION OF ALERTER PANEL LOCATION WITHIN OUR FLEET -- NO FEWER THAN 3 LOCATIONS. AFTER LOCATING THE ALT ALERTER; AND NOTING IT READ 10000 FT; I RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO ASSIGNED ALT. REQUIRE STANDARDIZED PANEL LOCATION OF ALT ALERTER. TIGHTEN WARNING BAND OF ALT ALERTER. DEVELOP ALT ALERTER THAT SENSES RATE OF CLB/DSCNT EXISTING AS ACFT NEARS ASSIGNED ALT; AND CAN ADJUST HARDNESS OF WARNING. EITHER REDUCE TCASII AUDIO VOLUME OR INSTALL SOME TYPE OF LOGIC TO PRIORITIZE TCASII AND ALT ALERTER WARNINGS (OR SEQUENCE THEM); SO THAT THEY DO NOT BLANK ONE ANOTHER.