Narrative:

I instructed air carrier tug X to tow to hangar from gate X via B1; Z; and C. Taxiway C was closed between txwys Z and south. The tug stopped at txwys Z and C because of the barricades. When I was told to work ground control-2 I read the status board. It was very noisy in the tower at the time. There were 2 visitors in the tower near the sia talking with the cabin attendant coordinator. There was loud music playing both from the entertainment center (satellite radio player) at the back of the tower as well as from speakers in the ceiling above the FD/clearance delivery position as well as above rc and above the supervisor's desk. The music was very loud. I did not notice the closure on 'C.' I took over 'ground control' after the relief briefing but I don't remember being told about the closure on 'C.' it was so noisy and crowded in the cabin attendant that I had difficulty hearing the ground control frequency in my headset. After missing many calls I went to the supervisor and told him it was too loud and I turned off the overhead speakers. In my opinion the overhead speakers should be removed. The supervisor should ensure that the noise level in the tower is kept down.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SFO GND CTLR COMPLAINED ABOUT NOISE LEVELS IN THE CAB; BECAUSE OF VISITORS AND MUSIC LEVELS; RESULTING IN CONFUSED TAXI FOR A TUG DRIVER.

Narrative: I INSTRUCTED ACR TUG X TO TOW TO HANGAR FROM GATE X VIA B1; Z; AND C. TXWY C WAS CLOSED BTWN TXWYS Z AND S. THE TUG STOPPED AT TXWYS Z AND C BECAUSE OF THE BARRICADES. WHEN I WAS TOLD TO WORK GC-2 I READ THE STATUS BOARD. IT WAS VERY NOISY IN THE TWR AT THE TIME. THERE WERE 2 VISITORS IN THE TWR NEAR THE SIA TALKING WITH THE CAB COORDINATOR. THERE WAS LOUD MUSIC PLAYING BOTH FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT CTR (SATELLITE RADIO PLAYER) AT THE BACK OF THE TWR AS WELL AS FROM SPEAKERS IN THE CEILING ABOVE THE FD/CD POS AS WELL AS ABOVE RC AND ABOVE THE SUPVR'S DESK. THE MUSIC WAS VERY LOUD. I DID NOT NOTICE THE CLOSURE ON 'C.' I TOOK OVER 'GC' AFTER THE RELIEF BRIEFING BUT I DON'T REMEMBER BEING TOLD ABOUT THE CLOSURE ON 'C.' IT WAS SO NOISY AND CROWDED IN THE CAB THAT I HAD DIFFICULTY HEARING THE GND CTL FREQ IN MY HEADSET. AFTER MISSING MANY CALLS I WENT TO THE SUPVR AND TOLD HIM IT WAS TOO LOUD AND I TURNED OFF THE OVERHEAD SPEAKERS. IN MY OPINION THE OVERHEAD SPEAKERS SHOULD BE REMOVED. THE SUPVR SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE NOISE LEVEL IN THE TWR IS KEPT DOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.