RPTR SEEMS TO BE A WKEND SEAPLANE PLT WHO KNEW THE PROPER STEPS TO TAKE; BUT EASILY BECAME OVERWHELMED BY A SIMPLE RADIO PROB AT AN UNCTLED FIELD.

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PLANNED IFR DEP; FLT PLAN FILED AND VERIFIED. CALLED ZOA WHEN TAXIING ON THE WATER (THIS IS A FLOAT PLANE). NO CONTACT WITH ZOA BUT NOT UNCOMMON. PLANNED TO TAKE OFF AND STAY UNDER OVCST TO CALL ZOA IN THE AIR. GOT AIRBORNE AND INITIATED CALL. NO RESPONSE. OBSERVED STUCK MIKE INDICATION ON RADIO (NARCO COM 120). TURNED OFF RADIO AFTER VERIFYING THAT PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH WAS NOT THE PROB. VERIFIED THAT HAND-HELD MIKE PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH WAS NOT THE PROB. SWITCHED TO SECOND RADIO AND NOTICED THAT IT HAD THE SAME PROB. THEN NOTICED A DISCHARGE ON AMMETER FOR SYS PWR; SAW LIGHT FLASH AND SMELLED SMOKE. LOOKED UP AND FOUND THAT I HAD ENTERED OVCST HDG DOWNWIND (APPROX 050 DEGS). SHUT OFF ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH AND INITIATED CLB THROUGH OVCST DUE TO PROX TO HILLS ON E SIDE OF THE VALLEY. TOPPED OVCST AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS AND CONTINUED TROUBLESHOOTING SYS. FOUND THAT PAX HEAD SET MIKE PLUG WAS NOT IN SOCKET FULLY. PUSHED IT IN AND TRIED RADIO. NO STUCK MIKE INDICATION; BUT DISCHARGE CONTINUED. SHUT DOWN ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH AGAIN. TROUBLESHOT ALTERNATOR/CHARGING CIRCUIT UPON LNDG AND FOUND THAT SYS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY AT RPM'S TO ABOUT 2000 RPMS; BUT NOT AT CRUISE (APPROX 2400 RPM). SUSPECT SLIPPING ALTERNATOR BELT AS THE PROB; AND SOURCE OF SMOKE ODOR. LIGHT FLASH MAY HAVE BEEN JUST THE XMIT LIGHT AS MY EYES SWEPT ACROSS THE INST PANEL. I'M SURE ATC WONDERS WHAT WENT ON; ESPECIALLY SINCE I CONFIRMED THE IFR DEP THROUGH THE FSS 30 MINS BEFORE DEP. INATTN TO THE FLT DURING DISTRS OF RADIO AND ELECTRICAL PROBS CAUSED ME TO ENTER IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A CLRNC.