A C172 PLT DSNDED BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING A CONTACT APCH IN CLOUDY CONDITIONS. HE WAS UPSET BY THE CTLR'S REPRIMAND.

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RETURNING TO CLW FROM VNC. RADAR VECTORED BY TPA APCH CTL 119.65. REQUESTED A CONTACT APCH INTO CLW WHILE STILL 20 MI OUT. VISIBILITY OVER THE BAY HAD IMPROVED TO VFR. I COULD SEE OVER THE PINELLAS PENINSULA THAT IT WAS SCATTERED AND HAZY. THE CTLR GRANTED THE CONTACT APCH AND ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO WORK AROUND THE CLOUDS IN THE AREA. I SAY THAT I WOULD. AS I MADE LANDFALL; I DSNDED TO 1000 FT WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE CTLR OF MY ALT CHANGE FROM 1600 FT. I HAD ASSUMED THAT I COULD MANEUVER TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS AND STILL KEEP VISUAL REF TO THE GND FOR THE CONTACT APCH. I WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO 125.3. UPON CALLING UP THE NEW CTLR; I WAS QUERIED ABOUT MY ALT AND ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO CANCEL IFR FOR VFR CONDITIONS. AT THAT MOMENT I COULD NOT GO VFR BECAUSE THE CLOUD BASES HAD GONE BELOW 1000 FT OVER A CONGESTED AREA. THE CTLR PROCEEDED TO REPRIMAND ME OVER THE RADIO. HE INFORMED ME THAT 1600 FT WAS THE MINIMUM RADAR VECTORING ALT AND I HAD VIOLATED FAA REGS FOR IFR FLT BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT. WHILE THE REPRIMAND WAS IN PROGRESS; I PROCEEDED BACK TO 1600 FT. THE CTLR VECTORED ME TO 2 MI FROM CLW. AN OPENING IN THE CLOUDS SHOWED THE FIELD AND I DSNDED TO TPA OF 1000 FT; AFTER I NOTIFIED THE CTLR THAT I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. CANCELED IFR; AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MY OBJECTIVE WAS TO EXPERIENCE WHAT A CONTACT APCH WOULD DO FOR ME. I THOUGHT BY REQUESTING A CONTACT APCH I WOULD HELP THE CTLRS OUT WITH SOME OF THE WORKLOAD AND CHALLENGE MYSELF. I ERRED IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS APCH IS USED FOR. I'M STILL LEARNING THE IFR ENVIRONMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. I DO FEEL THAT THE CTLR SHOWED VERY LITTLE PROFESSIONALISM IN HIS COMS WITH ME AND MY ERROR. I DO NOT REMEMBER BEING WARNED OF A SAFETY ALERT OR IMPENDING DANGER.