"Teacherjh" wrote in message ...
I'd climb to 5000, then MEAs permitting) descend to 4000. In no case would I
stop before 5000. The (explicit) instructions to do so on lost comm may be to
get you high enough to receive a different outlet, or to be picked up on a
better radar sweep. Who knows... they asked me to do that, I do that.

Is this one of those Radar Vectors departures? 5000 feet might be required
to allow you to get "on course" via your own navigation in lieu of radar vectors.