FLC OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT. CLRNC INTERP PROB.

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ON FEB/XX/95 WE DEPARTED SJC IFR IN OUR CITATION 650 FOR CHICAGO. WE WERE CLRED ON THE LOUPE 9 DEP WITH A CLIMB CLRNC TO 5000 FT. CLBING OUT ON RWY HDG (RWY 30L) THE DEP ENTAILS A R TURN AT 1.8 DME (SJC VOR) TO A 120 DEG HDG TO 5000 FT. WE WERE ADVISED BY ATC TO GO DIRECT THE SJC VOR; THEN ADVISED (I BELIEVE) TO CROSS THE SJC VOR AT 12000 FT TO MAINTAIN FL230. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND TURNED THE ALT ALERTER TO FL230 AS I HAD UNDERSTOOD ATC TO MEAN FOR US TO BE AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT BY THE VOR TO MAINTAIN FL230. I LOOKED AT THE CAPT'S ALTIMETER AND SAID WE WOULD BE AT 12000 FT IN PLENTY OF TIME SO I SET THE ALERTER FOR FL230. DURING THE SAME CLB CLRNC WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT OAKLAND. AT THIS POINT I CALLED ATC AND ADVISED WE WERE OUT OF 12200 FT FOR FL230. THE CTLR REPLIED MAINTAIN 13000 FT. I ASKED HIM TO REPEAT AND HE SAID MAINTAIN 13000 FT; WHICH WE DID. THE CTLR SAID THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION ON THE CLRNC. THE CTLR THEN STATED THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT 13000 FT 6 MI S OF THE VOR; I REPLIED THAT WE HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT 13000 FT. NO FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE MATTER WERE MADE I BELIEVE. I AM NOT SURE WHY I REACTED TO THE CLRNC AS I DID; BUT I HAVE BEEN A CORPORATE PLT FOR 17 YRS AND DON'T USUALLY MISTAKE CLRNCS. I THINK MAYBE THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO MAINTAIN 12000 FT AND THE NEXT CTLR GIVEN US FL230 AT A MORE APPROPRIATE TIME.