Narrative:

While calling sat tower that we were 'ready for departure' as we approached the hold short line at runway 12R at taxiway G, the tower acknowledged with 'roger.' the term 'hold short' was not used. ATC workload was light. This is dangerous, especially at sat, because a lot of flight training is conducted at this airport. Many flight students are foreign and english is not their native language. It is very easy for them to interpret tower's 'roger' acknowledgement as either 'position and hold' or 'clear takeoff.' sat tower needs to use the term 'hold short of runway.'

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR SUGGESTS CTLR'S USE THE TERM, 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY,' RATHER THAN 'ROGER' WHEN PLT'S CALL READY FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE CALLING SAT TWR THAT WE WERE 'READY FOR DEP' AS WE APCHED THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT RWY 12R AT TXWY G, THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED WITH 'ROGER.' THE TERM 'HOLD SHORT' WAS NOT USED. ATC WORKLOAD WAS LIGHT. THIS IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AT SAT, BECAUSE A LOT OF FLT TRAINING IS CONDUCTED AT THIS ARPT. MANY FLT STUDENTS ARE FOREIGN AND ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. IT IS VERY EASY FOR THEM TO INTERPRET TWR'S 'ROGER' ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AS EITHER 'POS AND HOLD' OR 'CLR TKOF.' SAT TWR NEEDS TO USE THE TERM 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY.'

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.