ACR FLC CHALLENGED BY CLE CTLR FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF FROM CLEVELAND HOPKINS; WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP CTL. OUR CHK-IN WAS ACKNOWLEDGED; AND WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO A 180 DEG HDG. OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC WAS A 095 DEG HDG OFF OF RWY 5R; AND 5000 FT. WE TURNED TO 180 DEGS AND CLBED TO 5000 FT. ATC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. HE CALLED US BACK AND TOLD US TO TURN TO 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 9000 FT; AND HE TOLD US THAT HE HAD TRIED TO CALL US 5 TIMES. HE NEVER USED OUR CALL SIGN; AND HE COULD BE HEARD TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. WHILE ON 240 DEG HDG AND LEVEL AT 9000 FT; ATC CALLED AND ASKED WHY WE WERE LEVEL AT 9000 FT; AND SAID WE HAD MISSED 3 CALLS AND WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT. WE CLBED TO 12000 FT ON A 240 DEG HDG. WHILE CLBING; ATC SAID THAT OUR RADIO RECEIVER WAS BAD. OPS; DEICE; GND CTL; TWR; AND DEP ON OUR INITIAL CALLS; HAD NO PROBS WITH THE RADIO. EVERY XMISSION GIVEN TO US WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. AFTER THE CLB WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC OF DIRECT MFD; MAINTAIN 12000 FT. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED OUR RESPONSE; AND WITHIN LESS THAN 1 MIN; ATC GAVE US THE SAME CLRNC AGAIN. DEFINITELY A CTLR WHO WAS OVERLOADED. WE CONTACTED CTR ON 134.9 AND ASKED HIM FOR A RADIO CHK. HE SAID LOUD AND CLR. THE NEXT 3 CTRS ALSO SAID THE SAME. A DEFINITE SIT OF OVERLOAD; AND A GOOD REASON TO DOUBLE-CHK A CLRNC.