A C182 PLT DRIFTED OFF HIS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN ENTERING CLOUDS AND BECOMING CONCERNED ABOUT ACFT ICING.

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WHILE ON AN IFR FLT FROM FCM TO MWC. I WAS AT 6000 FT IN VMC; WITH A CLOUD DECK 100-200 FT BELOW ME AND CIRRUS ABOVE. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS 0 DEGS OR 1 DEG C. MSP APCH TOLD ME TO SWITCH TO CENTER. I TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO REACH CENTER SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE NEXT 3-5 MINS. UNBEKNOWNST TO ME; THE UNDERCAST WAS GRADUALLY RISING TOWARDS MY ATTITUDE. WHILE TRYING TO REACH CENTER; I INADVERTENTLY LET MY ALT CREEP HIGHER. AS I ENTERED THE CLOUDS; I STUDIED THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP GAUGE; MY WINGS; STRUTS; WHEEL PANTS AND WINDSHIELD FOR SIGNS OF ICE. I WAS WORRIED THAT CENTER FAILED TO RESPOND ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ICING. UNFORTUNATELY; THE RIDE IN THE CLOUDS WAS VERY BUMPY. FOR A SHORT WHILE; I DID NOT REALIZE THAT A STRONG UPDRAFT LIFTED THE ACFT ABOVE MY ASSIGNED ALT. I WANTED A NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT TO GET BACK ABOVE THE CLOUDS. SINCE CENTER WAS NOT RESPONDING; I USED THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED FREQ; AND TOLD THE APCH CTLR THAT I NEEDED TO CLB AND THAT NO ONE ANSWERED MY CALLS ON THE OTHER FREQ. THE APCH CTLR SAID THAT CENTER WAS 'HAVING PROBS' WITH ITS RADIOS. HE ALSO SAID THAT I SHOULD NOT CLB WITHOUT A CLRNC. I EXPLAINED THAT I COULD NOT GET A CLRNC BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE TO TALK TO ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. AT THIS TIME; I THOUGHT ABOUT CANCELING IFR OR DECLARING AN EMER. FORTUNATELY; THESE STEPS WERE UNNECESSARY BECAUSE THE APCH CTLR CLRED ME TO 7000 FT; AND TOLD ME TO TRY TO REACH CENTER AGAIN. NO ONE ANSWERED MY CALLS ON THIS FREQ DURING THE NEXT 3-5 MINS. AFTER READING 7000 FT; I RECHECKED THE ENRTE CHART AND DETERMINED A FREQ THAT MIGHT WORK. THIS FREQ WORKED; AND THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. MY ANXIETY AND POTENTIAL ALT DEV WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE HANDOFF WORKED PROPERLY.