C172 PLT ENCOUNTERS EQUIP PROB WHILE IN TKOF POS ON RWY. TWR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS ARE MISINTERPED. PLT REGAINS COM WITH TWR; BUT TFC ON FINAL IS REQUIRED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH.

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I (ACFT X) WAS TOLD BY SMO TWR TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD FOR MY IFR TWR ENRTE DEP TO LGB. I COMPLIED. AFTER A FEW SECONDS HOLDING (A PLANE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF IN FRONT OF ME); I THOUGHT I SAW A GREEN LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR. BUT SINCE I WAS UNAWARE MY RADIO (COM #1) WAS NOT RECEIVING; I DIDN'T REALIZE AT FIRST THAT THE LIGHT WAS FOR ME. WITHIN SECONDS; I SAW A RED LIGHT. I THEN RETURNED; THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY RECEIVER. I TRIED XMITTING TO TWR; ASKING THEM TO BLINK THE LIGHT IF THEY HEARD ME. I DID NOT KNOW IF THEY WANTED ME TO TAXI OFF THE RWY OR CONTINUE HOLDING IN PLACE. I BELIEVE THE RED LIGHT WAS STEADY; INDICATING THAT I SHOULD HOLD. I SWITCHED TO COM #2 AND RE-ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH SMO TWR. I WAS TOLD ANOTHER PLANE (ACFT Y) HAD TO GO AROUND AND I WAS TOLD I WAS NOW CLRED FOR TKOF. THE FLT TO LGB WAS UNEVENTFUL; EXCEPT THE #1 COM WORKED ON AND OFF. I FLEW USING #2 COM. WHEN I RETURNED TO SMO; I; ON MY OWN; CALLED THE TWR. I WAS TOLD 2 PLANES HAD TO GO AROUND AND THAT I SHOULD'VE NOTICED THE LIGHT GUNS. I TOLD THEM MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON MY PLANE'S INSTS IN PREPARATION FOR TKOF AND NOT THE TWR; AND BY THE TIME I NOTICED THE LIGHTS; THE MESSAGE THEY WERE SENDING WAS CONFUSING. I BELIEVE A BLINKING RED LIGHT MEANS TAXI CLR OF RWY; NOT A STEADY ONE. IN ANY EVENT; MAYBE YET ANOTHER LIGHT SIGNAL OR COLOR NEEDS TO BE USED TO INDICATE TO A PLANE ALREADY ON THE RWY WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC; THAT IT SHOULD QUICKLY EXIT THE RWY.