PENETRATED ATA WITHOUT CLRNC ON VFR FLT.

Narrative

I TOOK OFF FROM SOMERSET ARPT (N-52); SOMERSET; NJ; FOR DEST ISLIP; LONG ISLAND AT APPROX XA45 EST. THE WX WAS CLR WITH UNLIMITED VIS. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SAT MORNING. I HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO GO THROUGH THE TCA WORKING WITH NY APCH CTL. THE FREQ (128.55) WAS SO BUSY; I GAVE UP AFTER REPEATED CALLS AND DECIDED TO AVOID THE TCA; STAY BELOW 3000' UNDER THE OUTER SECTION OF THE 'UPSIDE WEDDING CAKE.' MY ROUTE OF FLT TOOK ME NE TO THE HUDSON RIVER JUST S OF THE TAPPAN-ZEE BRIDGE. FROM THAT POINT SE (ABOUT 120 DEGS) TO KEEP WESTCHESTER ARPT OFF TO MY LEFT AND LA GUARDIA ARPT WELL OFF TO MY RIGHT. I STAYED CLOSER TO WESTCHESTER AND MONITORED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FREQS (LGA TWR 118.7; WESTCHESTER TWR 119.7; AND LGA DEP 120.4). I COULD SEE WESTCHESTER ARPT VERY CLEARLY. I WAS AT 1800' MSL AND JUDGED MYSELF TO BE S OF THE ATA. I WAS XMITTING CODE 1200 WITH MODE C ON MY TRANSPONDER. THERE IS NO VOR DME LOCATED AT WESTCHESTER AND I APPARENTLY MISJUDGED MY DISTANCE FROM THE FIELD AND MUST HAVE VIOLATED THAT AIRSPACE. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THEM AFTER LNDG AT ISLIP. THIS AREA IS A MIX OF GENERAL AVIATION VFR TFC AND LGA DEPS AND ARRS. MY THOUGHTS ON FLYING THROUGH SUCH AN AREA W/O CTL IS TO STAY WELL BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TCA; SQUAWK 1200 MODE C SO THE CTLING AGENCIES KNOW WHERE YOU ARE; MONITOR APPROPRIATE FREQS AND KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL FOR TFC. THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING WHEN I APPARENTLY MISJUDGED MY DISTANCE FROM WESTCHESTER. I THINK A SINGLE PLT OPERATION MANDATES A GREAT DEAL OF LOOK-SEE EFFORT AND I DID JUST THAT. THE WISER DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO AVOID THE TCA BOUNDARY COMPLETELY AT A HIGHER ALT. IT IS TIME CONSUMING AND GETS ME HIGHER THAN I WANT TO BE ON A SHORT TRIP; BUT IT AFFORDS GREATER PROTECTION OF A RECURRENCE OF THIS TYPE. MY NEXT TRIP WILL BE PLANNED AS SUCH! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: HPN TWR REQUESTED RPTR NAME AND CERTIFICATE NUMBER. NO INDICATION A VIOLATION WAS TO BE FILED. HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER. ACFT HE WAS FLYING DID NOT HAVE DME EQUIP FOR A CHK OFF LGA. IN THE FUTURE PLANS TO BE MORE CAREFUL REF HIS PILOTAGE.