Narrative:

For the purpose of practicing VFR night lndgs, I completed preflts and called tcl ground for taxi clearance to runway. After 2 calls without answer a third call was tried on tower frequency, without reply. At about XA55 local time I assumed the tower is already closed and announced on tower frequency to tcl traffic, that I am going to taxi from FBO to runway 22. Before crossing non active runway 29 I double-checked approach paths in both directions and announced via tower frequency, the crossing. After having crossed runway 29 and taxiing to the active runway I received a red stop-signal from the tower. I stopped immediately and checked the radios. After having dialed the appropriate frequencys in radio set #2, I realized, that volume on set #1 was down. This turned out to be the reason for not receiving replies from the tower. After proper communication with tower, I followed a clearance to taxi to runway 22. After being cleared to take off, the tower service was terminated and I continued again with several TA to tcl traffic. In doing so I completed 5 lndgs and a flying time of 40 mins without anything unusual. Resume: my assumption, that activating radios with the main switch and successfully monitoring ASOS on set #2 will imply a proper functioning of set #1 was wrong, as 'volume' on this set was down from a prior pilot. My decision to taxi and cross a runway as a conclusion out of the facts there was no reply from tower on my calls and no light signal for mins of taxiing. Was false although I did TA to other traffic. My judgement that the tower closes 5 mins before hours was false. The situation described above implied no other aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RECEIVES NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR, TAXIES ACROSS A RWY AND DISCOVERS THE RADIO VOLUME WAS TURNED DOWN.

Narrative: FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING VFR NIGHT LNDGS, I COMPLETED PREFLTS AND CALLED TCL GND FOR TAXI CLRNC TO RWY. AFTER 2 CALLS WITHOUT ANSWER A THIRD CALL WAS TRIED ON TWR FREQ, WITHOUT REPLY. AT ABOUT XA55 LCL TIME I ASSUMED THE TWR IS ALREADY CLOSED AND ANNOUNCED ON TWR FREQ TO TCL TFC, THAT I AM GOING TO TAXI FROM FBO TO RWY 22. BEFORE XING NON ACTIVE RWY 29 I DOUBLE-CHKED APCH PATHS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND ANNOUNCED VIA TWR FREQ, THE XING. AFTER HAVING CROSSED RWY 29 AND TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY I RECEIVED A RED STOP-SIGNAL FROM THE TWR. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND CHKED THE RADIOS. AFTER HAVING DIALED THE APPROPRIATE FREQS IN RADIO SET #2, I REALIZED, THAT VOLUME ON SET #1 WAS DOWN. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE THE REASON FOR NOT RECEIVING REPLIES FROM THE TWR. AFTER PROPER COM WITH TWR, I FOLLOWED A CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 22. AFTER BEING CLRED TO TAKE OFF, THE TWR SVC WAS TERMINATED AND I CONTINUED AGAIN WITH SEVERAL TA TO TCL TFC. IN DOING SO I COMPLETED 5 LNDGS AND A FLYING TIME OF 40 MINS WITHOUT ANYTHING UNUSUAL. RESUME: MY ASSUMPTION, THAT ACTIVATING RADIOS WITH THE MAIN SWITCH AND SUCCESSFULLY MONITORING ASOS ON SET #2 WILL IMPLY A PROPER FUNCTIONING OF SET #1 WAS WRONG, AS 'VOLUME' ON THIS SET WAS DOWN FROM A PRIOR PLT. MY DECISION TO TAXI AND CROSS A RWY AS A CONCLUSION OUT OF THE FACTS THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM TWR ON MY CALLS AND NO LIGHT SIGNAL FOR MINS OF TAXIING. WAS FALSE ALTHOUGH I DID TA TO OTHER TFC. MY JUDGEMENT THAT THE TWR CLOSES 5 MINS BEFORE HRS WAS FALSE. THE SIT DESCRIBED ABOVE IMPLIED NO OTHER ACFT.

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.