B737-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft
We were cleared to Line Up and Wait; with an advisory of crossing traffic down field. As we aligned with the runway centerline Tower transmitted '[Callsign] (unintelligible; unintelligible; unintelligible)'; but we couldn't hear whatever it was they were trying to say to someone; because the RAAS was shouting at us. We asked for a repeat; and found out that Tower had been; in fact; attempting to clear us for takeoff. It sure would have been nice to have been able to hear that. The RAAS caused this loss of communications during a most critical phase of flight - just like it always does.
Air Carrier Captain experiences a RAAS alert after being cleared to line up and wait; which completely blocks the next transmission from the Tower.