WITH A LINE OF TSTMS AHEAD THE RPTR REQUESTED A CLRNC TO 'MANEUVER IN THIS AREA AND CONTACT FLT WATCH.' THE CTR CTLR RESPONDED 'CLRED AS REQUESTED; RPT BACK IN LESS THAN 10 MINS.' WHEN THE RPTR CAME BACK ON CTR FREQ THE CTLR WAS UPSET WITH THE MANEUVERING THE RPTR DID IN THE AREA.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING IFR TO TUPELO; WE FILED A RTE VIA SHREVEPORT; LA; TO CIRCUMNAV A LINE OF SEVERE TSTMS. WE WERE A FEW MI FROM TEXARKANA WHEN WE SPOTTED A BREAK IN THE WX. THESE STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM SW TEXAS ALL THE WAY N TO IOWA. WE CALLED CTR AND REQUESTED A CLRNC TO 'MANEUVER IN THIS AREA AND CONTACT FLT WATCH.' WE WANTED TO USE OUR RADAR TO LOOK AT THIS GAP IN THE WX AND CONFIRM OUR READOUT WITH THE FLT WATCH. THE CTLR RESPONDED 'CLRED AS REQUESTED; RPT BACK IN LESS THAN 10 MINS.' WE THEN BEGAN TO CIRCLE THE ACFT AND CHANGED FREQ. AFTER TALKING WITH FLT WATCH (WHILE CIRCLING TO REMAIN IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA) WE RETURNED TO THE CTR FREQ. WE PROMPTLY RECEIVED A TONGUE LASHING. WE WERE ASKED WHAT HDG WE WERE ON; WHERE WE WERE GOING; AND TOLD WE NEEDED A CLRNC FOR THAT. AFTER THE TONGUE LASHING WE TOLD THE CTLR HE SAID 'CLRED AS REQUESTED.' THAT WAS WHAT WE REQUESTED. APPARENTLY; HE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR REQUEST AND THOUGHT WE ONLY WANTED TO CHANGE FREQS. HE DID NOT READ BACK OUR CLRNC. HE ONLY SAID 'CLRED AS REQUESTED.' THE CHANNEL WAS NOT BUSY AT ALL.