PLT IN PA30 OPERATES IMC IN VFR FLT DURING FERRY FLT. PROX OF OBSTRUCTION.

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THE MORNING OF FEB/XX/97 WX HAD CHANGED TO IFR CONDITIONS UP THROUGH ALBUQUERQUE; HOWEVER; THE RTE W THROUGH EL PASO WAS RPTED VFR WITH ISOLATED RAIN SHOWERS. CEILINGS AT ODESSA WERE RPTED AT 2100 FT AGL AND IMPROVING ALONG THE RTE TO BROKEN TO OVCST OF 4500 FT AGL BY SALT FLAT AND CLR AT EL PASO. NOT WANTING TO FLY AN UNFAMILIAR PLANE IFR; I CHOSE THE LATTER RTE THROUGH EL PASO USING FLT FOLLOWING IN LIEU OF A FLT PLAN. THE DEP OUT OF ODESSA WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH ADEQUATE CEILINGS TO MAINTAIN LEVEL CRUISE AT 4500 FT MSL WITH A 1500 FT CLOUD BASE SEPARATION. 30 MI W OF WINK VOR ON V94; THE CEILINGS LOWERED TO 1500 FT AGL SO WE DSNDED TO 4000 FT MSL; 1000 FT AGL; LOST CONTACT WITH FLT FOLLOWING; AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER ENCOUNTERED SNOW OBSCURING FORWARD VISION; LEAVING ONLY VERT VISION TO THE GND. AT THIS LOW ALT THE VOR NEEDLES BEGAN SCALLOPING AND INDICATING UNRELIABLE NAV INFO. ALONG THE RTE WE PASSED SEVERAL TALL ANTENNA; THUS A DECISION TO TURN AROUND AT THE LOW ALT AGL DID NOT SEEM PRUDENT. CALLED ZAB FOR IFR CLRNC; CLBED ENRTE TO 10000 FT MSL AND PICKED UP ICE DURING CLB AND UPON LEVELING OUT IN IMC CONDITIONS. BROKE OUT ON TOP AT 10000 FT BUT CHOSE TO CLB TO 10600 TO MAINTAIN CLR OF CLOUDS ON TOP. OUT OF THE ICING CONDITIONS. DURING THIS PERIOD THE PLT SIDE PUSH-TO-TALK QUIT OPS AND WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE DURING THIS BRIEF PERIOD. INSERTED HAND-HELD MIKE INTO MIKE JACK AND WAS ABLE TO XMIT WEAK AND BROKEN; BUT ENOUGH TO REQUEST 12000 FT TO MAINTAIN CLR OF CLOUDS ON TOP. EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED USING COPLT PUSH-TO-TALK WORKED BEST. REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. SOLUTION? BETTER WX INFO ALONG RTES OF FLT. SINCE WX IS HARD TO ANTICIPATE AND FORECAST I DON'T HAVE ANY REAL SOLUTIONS. EVEN IF I HAD FILED A FLT PLAN THE SIT AND PROCS WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN THE SAME.