PLT IN A PA28 LNDG RNT WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR BECAUSE THE LCL CTLR; COMBINED WITH GND CTL; WAS ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION UNRELATED TO ATC.

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I WAS IN THE PATTERN AT RNT; CLRED TO LAND BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT. I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING THE OTHER ACFT. I COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR CTLR BECAUSE HE WAS BUSY CHIT-CHATTING ON TWR FREQ WITH SOMEONE ON THE GND ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ARPT GATE CODES WERE SECURE. (THIS CONVERSATION WAS MUCH MORE LENGTHY THAN NECESSARY; AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY PHONE OR ON THE GND CTL FREQ.) I USE THIS ARPT FREQUENTLY. I KNOW THAT WHEN I LAND AND THEN TAXI BACK FOR DEP; I AM USUALLY TOLD TO DO SO ON THE TWR FREQ (NOT ON 'GND'). I LANDED. AS I STARTED MY TURN-OFF; I TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WANTED TO TAXI BACK AND ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED ME TO DO SO ON 'TWR' OR ON 'GND.' HE REPLIED; 'TAXI AS REQUESTED.' I ASKED AGAIN IF HE WANTED ME ON TWR OR GND FREQ. HE REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' I TOLD HIM THAT WAS AN 'EITHER/OR' QUESTION. I RECEIVED NO REPLY. I TAXIED BACK TO THE ACTIVE RWY; MONITORING BOTH FREQS (ONE ON EACH RADIO). THE TWR CTLR'S INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE RADIO WHILE I WAS IN THE PATTERN AND HIS LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS AND DIRECTION ON THE GND BOTH DEGRADED THE SAFETY OF MY ACFT OP. (THIS WAS PARTICULARLY SURPRISING BECAUSE THE SVC I RECEIVE FROM RENTON TWR IS USUALLY GOOD; AND OFTEN VERY GOOD.)