Original Message

Used to fly around southern ca below 500'.  Didnt want to mix it up with fixed wing, and didn't want to talk to atc or towers, if I could avoid it.  I'm talking SD/LA basin.   Did this for years.  Then one day I discovered the wonderful world of atc radar control.  What a difference. 3 to 5 k.  Clean air(relatively speaking), good vis, radar control. 
Its just better at altitude.