Narrative:

While parked and waiting for a gate, we witnessed some confusion on the ground control frequency, and I believe this is caused by a sign that needs to be moved or removed. The ground controller was admonishing other airplanes for switching to ramp control too early, saying that ground controled txwys B1, B2, B3, and a and B in between those txwys. This is technically correct because these txwys are on the 'movement' side of the line marking the boundary between the movement and non-movement areas. However, there is a sign on taxiway B in between B1 and B2 that says 'contact 119.225.' this is the same type of sign that says to contact the tower near the ends of the runways. If pilots follow instructions of the sign, they end up talking to ramp control (and following ramp control's instructions) while they're still in an area owned by ground control. On this particular day, this action by other aircraft didn't make the ground controller very happy. I subsequently called the supervisor at sfo tower to explain about the signage problem. He admitted that there is often confusion in this area of the airport, but it is supposed to be covered by a letter of agreement between the ATC tower and the ramp tower. Regardless, the sign that says 'contact 119.225' is in an incorrect location. It should be moved closer to the boundary line between the movement and non-movement areas, or it should be removed altogether. It's confusing to pilots and instructs them to contact someone who doesn't actually have control over that piece of pavement. Thanks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ADVISES OF ARPT TXWY SIGN AT SFO WHICH DIRECTS CREWS TO CHANGE TO RAMP CTL FREQ WHILE STILL ON TXWYS UNDER THE CTL OF THE ATCT GND CTLR.

Narrative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

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.