AN ANTIQUE SMA FLEW LOW OUT OF A TRSA TOWARDS HIGH TERRAIN.

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I WAS FLYING AN ANTIQUE ACFT; AN SMA (NO RADIOS OR XPONDER) WITH NO ELECTRICAL SYS. A MAGNETIC COMPASS FOR HDGS; NOT A GYROSCOPIC COMPASS. I HAD A HANDHELD RADIO FOR COMS. VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. CLRNC DELIVERY ASKED FOR DIRECTION OF FLT AND ALT REQUESTED. I ANSWERED E AT 3500 FT. IT APPEARS ON THE SECTIONAL THAT 3500 FT WOULD CLR THE HILLS UNTIL I WAS CLR OF THE 5 MI ATA. I WANTED TO CANCEL AT THAT POINT AND FLY THE ROADS AND RIVERS EASTERLY. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR 5500 FT BUT I WAS TIRED FROM FLYING 6 HRS ALREADY THAT DAY FROM NASHVILLE. I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND DID. I CONTACTED DEP AND HE ASKED HAD I BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. I ANSWERED YES. HE ASKED ME AGAIN WAS I CLRED FOR TKOF AND AGAIN I TOLD HIM I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. I WAS STILL OVER THE RWY CLBING OUT AND ANSWERING HIS QUESTIONS. HE ASKED MY INTENTIONS AND THEN CLRED ME ON COURSE. I HAD DEPARTED ON RWY 34 AND SHOULD HAVE TURNED R TO AN EASTERLY COURSE. I TURNED L AROUND 250 DEGS TO E TO LOOK FOR TFC AND MY LANDMARKS. I WAS FLYING AT 3500 FT AND 090 DEGS. THE CTLR KEPT ASKING ME MY HDG AND ALT. I BECAME CONCERNED THAT MAYBE THE ALTIMETER OR COMPASS WAS OFF DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF HIS CALLS. HE NEVER REQUESTED A HDG OR COURSE CHANGE; OR ALT CHANGE. I WAS GETTING INTIMIDATED BY THE CTLR AND SECOND- GUESSING THE FEW INSTS IN MY VFR SMA. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED AT THIS POINT ( 3 1/2 MI E OF THE ARPT) FOR 5500 FT; INSTEAD; I JUST PULLED UP TO CLR THE MOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF ME. ATC CALLED AND I TOLD THEM I WAS OUT OF 4000 FT TO CLR THE OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF ME. HE SAID 'ROGER' AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. I REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE APPROX 7 MI E OF THE ARPT AND ATC ASKED IF I WAS SURE I WANTED TO TERMINATE IN THE TRSA. I WAS WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO DO SO. I WAS WELL BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TRSA. I AGREED TO MONITOR THE FREQ UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST 9 MI E.