Quote... I'm a strip flier. If I'm staying local I set my altimeter to zero before departure. If I'm not staying local, I set it to field elevation. Should I change my ways before something bad happens?
Really you should not twiddle with the knob on the front of the altimeter, the manufacturer will have set it correctly, and it should not be altered, unless you are an Instrument Technician.
Also there is no real good reason to report your altitude to ATC, as they have your Transponder reading on their displays, and their system will alert them of any clashes.
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Problem solved....