GA SMA DRIFTED OFF RADIAL IN SFRA TCA TRANSITION.

Narrative

I WAS PLANNING A FLT TO BURBANK FROM COMPTON. COMPTON WAS VFR WITH A LOCAL OVERCAST; BURBANK WAS VFR WITH HAZE BUT NO CEILING. I FLEW VFR TO TORRANCE AND GOT AN IFR TO VFR ON TOP CLRNC; PLANNING TO FLY VFR THROUGH THE LA TCA/SFRA. I ARRIVED ON TOP AND CANCELLED IFR WITHOUT INCIDENT; EXCEPT THAT MY VOR (#1) RECEIVER WAS BEHAVING ERRATICALLY. I TURNED TOWARD MY COURSE; BUT STOPPED AND CIRCLED TO TRY TO GET BETTER RECEPTION. I GAVE UP ON THE #1; AND GOT THE #2 TO THE SFRA CENTERLINE; EVEN THOUGH THE #2 OCCASIONALLY GIVES ERRONEOUS READINGS (A DUMB THING TO DO). WHILE ON COURSE ON THE #2; I KEPT FIDDLING WITH THE #1; DISCOVERED IT WAS LOOSE; AND PUSHED IT IN. I THEN GOT A CLEAN READING; AND I WAS WELL OFF THE SFRA CENTERLINE. I RETURNED TO THE CENTERLINE; AND THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. TWO SEPARATE THINGS: 1) IS IT LEGAL TO FLY OVER AN UNDERCAST THROUGH THE LAX TCA/SFRA? THE CHART DOESN'T SAY IT ISN'T; SO I ASSUMED IT WAS. 2) HOW MUCH VARIANCE FROM CENTERLINE IS PERMITTED IN THE SFRA? CONTRIBUTING FACTORS/HUMAN CONSIDERATIONS: 1) YOU CAN'T GET AN IFR CLRNC ON THE GND FROM COMPTON. IF I COULD HAVE I WOULD SIMPLY HAVE FILED IFR TO BURBANK. 2) I WAS ON A PLANNED VACATION TRIP; AND RUNNING LATE. 3) MY PARTNER HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE RADIOS; AND I ASSUMED THEY WERE FINE. WHEN THE #1 COMM WORKED; I ASSUMED THE NAV WOULD BE OK (DUMB). 4) I WAS NEVER CONCERNED ABOUT ACFT CONTROL OR A COLLISION; MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS NOT TO BUST THE TCA. 5) I WAS DETERRED FROM REQUESTING ATC POSITION VERIFICATION BY A FEAR OF GETTING A VIOLATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. MAJOR CONCERNS WERE FLYING VFR ON TOP AND VARIANCE FROM CENTERLINE OF SFRA. RPTR INDICATES CDI ONLY TWO DOTS FROM CENTER (FOUR DEGS) AND RETURNED TO CENTER WITHIN 10 SECONDS WHEN VOR RECEPTION RESTORED. FEELS HE WAS NOT OUTSIDE THE ESTABLISHED BOUNDARIES OF SAN DIEGO FREEWAY AND PACIFIC OCEAN SHORELINE. CONTACTED BURBANK WHEN LEAVING CORRIDOR SO HE WAS IDENTIFIABLE HAD THERE BEEN A VIOLATION.