Narrative:

I flew a solo cross country from dvt in phoenix to palm springs regional in california VFR. There were no NOTAMS for the route according to FSS. On my return from palm springs I received clearance from palm springs clearance delivery and taxied to the run-up area before runway 31L. With my run-up complete I taxied to the hold short line and tried unsuccessfully to contact the tower for a clearance to depart. Failing to establish any reception or transmission of communication I tried ground control with no contact either. I then noticed signs saying that the area was in a radio transmission blind spot and if unable to make radio contact to taxi towards the runway. This of course I already had done, with no result. By this time an aircraft was right behind me on the taxiway. After 2 mins of trying to contact ATC whilst waiting for light signals I decided I was supposed to takeoff, thinking ATC had anticipated such a scenario. This incident resulted in me breaking a well known far due to poor ATC to ground communication facilities, lack of any forewarning of such an incident through ATIS, NOTAMS, etc, and signs positioned in such a manner to make their comprehension almost impossible with perfect vision. My reference is to the lower, less clear, smaller wording below the ambiguous larger wording. I have since contacted palm springs tower and explained and apologized and found out I was one of three pilots on that day alone to do this. Please take action to remedy future sits. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he has spoken with local FSDO representative who indicated he will go to psp and check out the signage. Reporter says there is a very wide run-up area at runway 31L and then 2 large signs when one turns to taxi to hold short line. The top line of the sign has large lettering to indicate the lack of radio transmission in that area. The bottom lines are in very small print and difficult to read, even though reporter has perfect eyesight. His suggestion is to have same size lettering for both parts of the sign. Since he was 1 of 3 pilots who had the same problem in one day, he believes the sign is the problem, not the pilots. There is no mention of the communication problem in the airport facility directory.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR AT HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 31L. DEPARTS WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I FLEW A SOLO XCOUNTRY FROM DVT IN PHOENIX TO PALM SPRINGS REGIONAL IN CALIFORNIA VFR. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS FOR THE RTE ACCORDING TO FSS. ON MY RETURN FROM PALM SPRINGS I RECEIVED CLRNC FROM PALM SPRINGS CLRNC DELIVERY AND TAXIED TO THE RUN-UP AREA BEFORE RWY 31L. WITH MY RUN-UP COMPLETE I TAXIED TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE AND TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR A CLRNC TO DEPART. FAILING TO ESTABLISH ANY RECEPTION OR XMISSION OF COM I TRIED GND CTL WITH NO CONTACT EITHER. I THEN NOTICED SIGNS SAYING THAT THE AREA WAS IN A RADIO XMISSION BLIND SPOT AND IF UNABLE TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT TO TAXI TOWARDS THE RWY. THIS OF COURSE I ALREADY HAD DONE, WITH NO RESULT. BY THIS TIME AN ACFT WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME ON THE TXWY. AFTER 2 MINS OF TRYING TO CONTACT ATC WHILST WAITING FOR LIGHT SIGNALS I DECIDED I WAS SUPPOSED TO TKOF, THINKING ATC HAD ANTICIPATED SUCH A SCENARIO. THIS INCIDENT RESULTED IN ME BREAKING A WELL KNOWN FAR DUE TO POOR ATC TO GND COM FACILITIES, LACK OF ANY FOREWARNING OF SUCH AN INCIDENT THROUGH ATIS, NOTAMS, ETC, AND SIGNS POSITIONED IN SUCH A MANNER TO MAKE THEIR COMPREHENSION ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITH PERFECT VISION. MY REF IS TO THE LOWER, LESS CLR, SMALLER WORDING BELOW THE AMBIGUOUS LARGER WORDING. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED PALM SPRINGS TWR AND EXPLAINED AND APOLOGIZED AND FOUND OUT I WAS ONE OF THREE PLTS ON THAT DAY ALONE TO DO THIS. PLEASE TAKE ACTION TO REMEDY FUTURE SITS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAS SPOKEN WITH LCL FSDO REPRESENTATIVE WHO INDICATED HE WILL GO TO PSP AND CHK OUT THE SIGNAGE. RPTR SAYS THERE IS A VERY WIDE RUN-UP AREA AT RWY 31L AND THEN 2 LARGE SIGNS WHEN ONE TURNS TO TAXI TO HOLD SHORT LINE. THE TOP LINE OF THE SIGN HAS LARGE LETTERING TO INDICATE THE LACK OF RADIO XMISSION IN THAT AREA. THE BOTTOM LINES ARE IN VERY SMALL PRINT AND DIFFICULT TO READ, EVEN THOUGH RPTR HAS PERFECT EYESIGHT. HIS SUGGESTION IS TO HAVE SAME SIZE LETTERING FOR BOTH PARTS OF THE SIGN. SINCE HE WAS 1 OF 3 PLTS WHO HAD THE SAME PROB IN ONE DAY, HE BELIEVES THE SIGN IS THE PROB, NOT THE PLTS. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE COM PROB IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.