Narrative:

We picked up our original clearance from sjc through ACARS. Original clearance was exactly as filed: sjc.LOUPE1.rbl.btg.OLM5.sea. After pushback, ground control contacted us with a change to our departure: a heading of 325 degrees after takeoff, vectors to intercept the loupe 1 departure, rbl transition. Copilot confirmed heading 325 degrees to intercept the loupe departure and ground control corrected him and he read back after takeoff heading 325 degrees, vectors to intercept the loupe 1 departure. After takeoff, tower handed us off to norcal departure. Copilot switched frequencys and completed the after takeoff flow. Captain advised copilot to tell departure we were on a heading of 325 degrees. Copilot checked in with norcal, reporting our heading and altitude. We received a TA in our 7 O'clock position, 500 ft below, 1/2 mi and climbing. At first there was no response from norcal. After the TA, norcal called us, asking if we were on frequency. Copilot confirmed our altitude, climbing to 4000 ft and heading. Norcal then issued a turn to a 120 degree heading. During the turn we received another TA. Norcal asked us to try to keep the turn tight. During the turn norcal directed us to turn right and proceed direct dyblo and the remainder of the flight continued without incident. The reason we are concerned is we overheard departure telling another aircraft 'you can start your turn to 120 degrees now.' this led us to believe there may have been some confusion between the clearance issued to us and what departure control expected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 DEP FROM SJC EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING POSSIBLE NON COMPLIANCE WITH ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: WE PICKED UP OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC FROM SJC THROUGH ACARS. ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS EXACTLY AS FILED: SJC.LOUPE1.RBL.BTG.OLM5.SEA. AFTER PUSHBACK, GND CTL CONTACTED US WITH A CHANGE TO OUR DEP: A HDG OF 325 DEGS AFTER TKOF, VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOUPE 1 DEP, RBL TRANSITION. COPLT CONFIRMED HDG 325 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOUPE DEP AND GND CTL CORRECTED HIM AND HE READ BACK AFTER TKOF HDG 325 DEGS, VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOUPE 1 DEP. AFTER TKOF, TWR HANDED US OFF TO NORCAL DEP. COPLT SWITCHED FREQS AND COMPLETED THE AFTER TKOF FLOW. CAPT ADVISED COPLT TO TELL DEP WE WERE ON A HDG OF 325 DEGS. COPLT CHKED IN WITH NORCAL, RPTING OUR HDG AND ALT. WE RECEIVED A TA IN OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS, 500 FT BELOW, 1/2 MI AND CLBING. AT FIRST THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM NORCAL. AFTER THE TA, NORCAL CALLED US, ASKING IF WE WERE ON FREQ. COPLT CONFIRMED OUR ALT, CLBING TO 4000 FT AND HDG. NORCAL THEN ISSUED A TURN TO A 120 DEG HDG. DURING THE TURN WE RECEIVED ANOTHER TA. NORCAL ASKED US TO TRY TO KEEP THE TURN TIGHT. DURING THE TURN NORCAL DIRECTED US TO TURN R AND PROCEED DIRECT DYBLO AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE REASON WE ARE CONCERNED IS WE OVERHEARD DEP TELLING ANOTHER ACFT 'YOU CAN START YOUR TURN TO 120 DEGS NOW.' THIS LED US TO BELIEVE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION BTWN THE CLRNC ISSUED TO US AND WHAT DEP CTL EXPECTED.

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.