A B737 FLT CREW DEPARTING CLE LEVELED OFF AT A LOWER ALT THAN CLRED TO BY ATC.

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PDC CLRNC WAS TO 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT OR REQ ALT IF LOWER.' THE AMRST1 SID SAYS TO MAINTAIN 2600 FT UNTIL DJB THEN CLB TO 5000 FT ON ASSIGNED HDG. DURING DEP TOWER SAID TO TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS AND CONTACT DEP (NO ALTITUDE). WE DID THAT AND CLBED TO 2600 FT. DEP WAS INDIGNANT AND ASKED IF WE WERE ON THE SID. WE SAID WE WERE ON THE HDG LEVEL AT 2600 FT AND WHAT ALTITUDE WOULD THEY LIKE? HE SAID TO CLIMB TO 12000 FT. DURING THE CLB HE SAID THEY HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THAT SID AND HAD SUBMITTED A NOTAM. I CHKED AND THERE WAS NO LCL NOTAM FOR THIS. THERE WAS A D NOTAM IN OUR WX PACKET. THIS NOTAM WAS VAGUE AND; IN MY VIEW; IRRELEVANT. ONCE VECTORED OFF THE SID YOU ARE OFF THE SID AND ON A NEW CLRNC; THEY SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US AN ALT. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. MAKE THE REQUIRED CHANGES TO THE SID. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A RADAR VECTOR SID; THEN DO THAT. DON'T MIX APPLES AND ORANGES. ALSO; ON THE PDC CLRNC THEY SHOULD SAY 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT' (DON'T BAIT THE HOOK). ALSO; WHEN TOWER GIVES A HDG; THEY ALSO NEED TO GIVE YOU AN ALT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A NEW CLRNC AND ARE NO LONGER ON THE SID. LASTLY; I NEED TO READ THE NOTAMS MORE CAREFULLY SO THAT I CAN DEAL WITH THOSE SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE PERFECT NOTAM SITUATIONAL AWARENESS (LIKE IN CLEVELAND).