An air carrier first officer reported attempting to contact TRACON on the wrong frequency after take...

Attributes
ACN	803357
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	803357
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After takeoff; tower instructed us to contact norcal departure. Attempted to contact departure on frequency 124.25. ATC advised we were on wrong frequency. We both checked the frequency and the pre departure clearance printout; then queried ATC on 124.25 again. This time the controller stated we were on ground control. We both re-read the pre departure clearance and then found the correct frequency on SID. There was a few moments of needless confusion during a critical phase of flight. The pre departure clearance read as follows: maintain 15000 ft; expect requested altitude 10 mins after takeoff; ground control frequency 124.25; departure control see SID.' both pilots saw 124.25 departure control. It seems nonstandard to see a ground control frequency and not a departure control frequency on a pre departure clearance. The nonstandard ground control frequency is not published in the commercial chart nor was it broadcast on the ATIS. The normal ground control frequency was also in use so this was not the case of an inoperative frequency. The only frequency listed on a pre departure clearance should be the departure control frequency. I think sfo is using a nonstandard format. Ground control issues should be published elsewhere.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO REPORTED ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT TRACON ON THE WRONG FREQ AFTER TAKEOFF BECAUSE OF CONFUSING PDC FORMAT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF; TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT NORCAL DEP. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT DEP ON FREQ 124.25. ATC ADVISED WE WERE ON WRONG FREQ. WE BOTH CHKED THE FREQ AND THE PDC PRINTOUT; THEN QUERIED ATC ON 124.25 AGAIN. THIS TIME THE CTLR STATED WE WERE ON GND CTL. WE BOTH RE-READ THE PDC AND THEN FOUND THE CORRECT FREQ ON SID. THERE WAS A FEW MOMENTS OF NEEDLESS CONFUSION DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. THE PDC READ AS FOLLOWS: MAINTAIN 15000 FT; EXPECT REQUESTED ALT 10 MINS AFTER TKOF; GND CTL FREQ 124.25; DEP CTL SEE SID.' BOTH PLTS SAW 124.25 DEP CTL. IT SEEMS NONSTANDARD TO SEE A GND CTL FREQ AND NOT A DEP CTL FREQ ON A PDC. THE NONSTANDARD GND CTL FREQ IS NOT PUBLISHED IN THE COMMERCIAL CHART NOR WAS IT BROADCAST ON THE ATIS. THE NORMAL GND CTL FREQ WAS ALSO IN USE SO THIS WAS NOT THE CASE OF AN INOP FREQ. THE ONLY FREQ LISTED ON A PDC SHOULD BE THE DEP CTL FREQ. I THINK SFO IS USING A NONSTANDARD FORMAT. GND CTL ISSUES SHOULD BE PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An air carrier first officer reported attempting to contact TRACON on the wrong frequency after takeoff because of confusing pre departure clearance format.