Narrative:

Preparing to depart sjc, I called clearance and was given a clearance (VFR flight direct departure frequency and transponder code). After readback, I stated 'taxiing to two-niner.' controller said, I thought 'ok' so I left the ramp and taxied toward runway 29 departure. Ground called and asked why was I moving. I replied that I thought I had been cleared. I then proceeded to turn off into a commercial ramp (just off the taxiway) for my runup. Ground called to inform/request that I move further south to the real runup area -- the one I had not seen. After the runup, I taxied to the double lines and called sjc tower to state I was 'ready at runway 29.' tower wanted to know if I had my clearance. Somewhere, I was told to 'call the tower' after arriving at mry. I am based at mry, where clearance and ground are on a combined frequency. I failed to recognize the sjc's clearance instructions then meant to call ground. This was my first trip to sjc, and not being familiar with routines, I did not recognize the difference between the commercial ramp and the runup area. Either it is not marked, or I just missed it -- but I didn't see it. I further didn't realize the need to call ground for the last 100 ft taxi prior to calling the tower. Ground knew I was there, and there was no other aircraft in the area. Upon arrival in mry, the tower reminded me to call the sjc tower. Immediately after shutdown, I called from the plane and spoke with a controller. She was very professional and helpful. After I explained what had happened, we talked about ways to prevent a recurrence. My suggestions are: have clearance complete the transmission '...readback correct, contact ground on 121.9....' then there would have been no question. Today, the 'ok' led me to believe I was good to go. Add some graphics. A sign identing the commercial property would have helped today. Their ramp looked more like a runup area than the runup area -- at least to me, today, but not tomorrow. The only sign I saw at the runup area said 'ground 121.9' too late. The lesson regarding calling ground prior to taxiing between the runup area and the active is one I'll just have to remember. The controller spoke about local operations and how many different things could be going on at that location. Perhaps the sign that says 'ground 121.9' could also say 'contact ground prior to leaving runup area.' this has not been an issue in my experience, or anything I remember talking about with my instructor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMANDER 112 LOW TIME PVT PLT TAXIED WITHOUT CLRNC AT SJC.

Narrative: PREPARING TO DEPART SJC, I CALLED CLRNC AND WAS GIVEN A CLRNC (VFR FLT DIRECT DEP FREQ AND XPONDER CODE). AFTER READBACK, I STATED 'TAXIING TO TWO-NINER.' CTLR SAID, I THOUGHT 'OK' SO I LEFT THE RAMP AND TAXIED TOWARD RWY 29 DEP. GND CALLED AND ASKED WHY WAS I MOVING. I REPLIED THAT I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN CLRED. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF INTO A COMMERCIAL RAMP (JUST OFF THE TXWY) FOR MY RUNUP. GND CALLED TO INFORM/REQUEST THAT I MOVE FURTHER S TO THE REAL RUNUP AREA -- THE ONE I HAD NOT SEEN. AFTER THE RUNUP, I TAXIED TO THE DOUBLE LINES AND CALLED SJC TWR TO STATE I WAS 'READY AT RWY 29.' TWR WANTED TO KNOW IF I HAD MY CLRNC. SOMEWHERE, I WAS TOLD TO 'CALL THE TWR' AFTER ARRIVING AT MRY. I AM BASED AT MRY, WHERE CLRNC AND GND ARE ON A COMBINED FREQ. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE SJC'S CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS THEN MEANT TO CALL GND. THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO SJC, AND NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH ROUTINES, I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE COMMERCIAL RAMP AND THE RUNUP AREA. EITHER IT IS NOT MARKED, OR I JUST MISSED IT -- BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT. I FURTHER DIDN'T REALIZE THE NEED TO CALL GND FOR THE LAST 100 FT TAXI PRIOR TO CALLING THE TWR. GND KNEW I WAS THERE, AND THERE WAS NO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. UPON ARR IN MRY, THE TWR REMINDED ME TO CALL THE SJC TWR. IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHUTDOWN, I CALLED FROM THE PLANE AND SPOKE WITH A CTLR. SHE WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HELPFUL. AFTER I EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, WE TALKED ABOUT WAYS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE. MY SUGGESTIONS ARE: HAVE CLRNC COMPLETE THE XMISSION '...READBACK CORRECT, CONTACT GND ON 121.9....' THEN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO QUESTION. TODAY, THE 'OK' LED ME TO BELIEVE I WAS GOOD TO GO. ADD SOME GRAPHICS. A SIGN IDENTING THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WOULD HAVE HELPED TODAY. THEIR RAMP LOOKED MORE LIKE A RUNUP AREA THAN THE RUNUP AREA -- AT LEAST TO ME, TODAY, BUT NOT TOMORROW. THE ONLY SIGN I SAW AT THE RUNUP AREA SAID 'GND 121.9' TOO LATE. THE LESSON REGARDING CALLING GND PRIOR TO TAXIING BTWN THE RUNUP AREA AND THE ACTIVE IS ONE I'LL JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER. THE CTLR SPOKE ABOUT LCL OPS AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT THINGS COULD BE GOING ON AT THAT LOCATION. PERHAPS THE SIGN THAT SAYS 'GND 121.9' COULD ALSO SAY 'CONTACT GND PRIOR TO LEAVING RUNUP AREA.' THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE IN MY EXPERIENCE, OR ANYTHING I REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT WITH MY INSTRUCTOR.

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.