FLC OF AN MD83 AND ANOTHER ACR ACFT AT HIGH ALT CRUISE WERE GIVEN TURNS TO AVOID EACH OTHER BY ATC DUE TO A LOSS IN LEGAL SEPARATION CAUSED BY DIVERSION FROM THEIR CLRNC ROUTING DUE TO WX (TSTMS).

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DEPARTED SNA FOR RNO AT XX15 LCL. I AM AN IOE CAPT; GIVING OPERATING EXPERIENCE TO A NEWLY UPGRADED CAPT IN THE L SEAT. I HAD OUR AIRLINE'S SAFETY OFFICER/CAPT IN THE JUMPSEAT. TSTMS ALL OVER THE W ON THIS DAY; IN PARTICULAR PREVENTING US FROM FLYING OUR FILED RTE TO RNO. WE ENDED UP DEVIATING TO THE W; AND WERE AT FL310 AND HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC DIRECT SQUAW VALLEY VOR; THE CANNON 2 ARR INTO RNO. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO 132.95; AND LISTENED TO THIS OTHER PLT TALKING ABOUT WHERE HE'S GOING; WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO; ETC; COMPLETELY TYING UP THE FREQ. IMMEDIATELY UPON THE TERMINATION OF HIS NARRATIVE ZOA CAME ON AND SAID 'ACR X; ARE YOU ON FREQ?' WE RESPONDED 'AFFIRMATIVE; AT FL310.' ZOA THEN CAME BACK AND SAID 'ACR X; MAKE AN IMMEDIATE 50 DEG L TURN. ACR Y; MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN.' WHILE HE WAS SAYING THIS; WE GOT THE FIRST HIT ON OUR TCASII; SHOWING TFC; 12 O'CLOCK; 400 FT BELOW US CLBING; ABOUT 4 MI OUT. THE NEXT TCASII HIT SHOWED HIM SLIGHTLY R OF 12 O'CLOCK; 200 FT BELOW US; INSIDE THE 2 MI RING. I ACQUIRED HIM VISUALLY AND WAS ABLE TO SEE THE FLAP HANGERS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WING AS HE WAS IN HIS ESCAPE MANEUVER. WE CLRED EACH OTHER; CONTINUED ON OUR WAY. FIRST SUGGESTION WOULD BE FOR SHORTER XMISSIONS ON EVERYBODY'S PART WHEN THERE'S WX ABOUT. WE ALL HAVE TO DEVIATE; THE SYS IS IN A MESS; KEEP IT SHORT AND GET ON WITH IT SO THE NEXT GUY CAN TALK. SECOND; THANK HEAVEN FOR TCASII. IT'S A GREAT SYS. I KNOW IT'S GOT ITS PROBS; BUT BY LOOKING AT THE TCASII SCOPE AND THEN GOING OUTSIDE; IT GIVES ME IMMEDIATE; REAL TIME INFO ON TFC; WHERE TO POINT MY EYES. THEN IT PROVIDES THE ESCAPE DIRECTION EVEN IF I CAN'T ACQUIRE THE TFC VISUALLY.