new to the trade

[Sig_Des]

the ones that did go out had a tendency to come back wasted and wake everybody else up

Sorry :blotto:

 

[sig_cs101]

Sorry :blotto:

lol sorry bout what? i learned to get used to it after the first week. kinda don't have a choice

 

[mechanic_chick]

Well folks.. I can forget the 10 mo. training as a Veh. tech as a civi with the army..

Because apparently I went to the recruiting office and they want me to be Sig Op...

I know there may be other forums on this , but i've been looking around and I found this..

Can anyone tell me what I am getting into here?!

Thanks a bunch

JESSO

 

[D-n-A]

Green writing on a green background isn't the best choice.


Anyways, I got talked into Sig Op(after I got told I'm a no go for combat arms due to my vision). Everyone I've talked to says Sig Op is an awesome trade.

 

[mechanic_chick]

oh sorry.. it was actually meant to be pink lol...

do apologize!



but yah m if anyone would like to chat about it with me.. msn me at pink_typhoon@hotmail.com

thatd be awesome! thank you.

 

[Krazy-P]

If that is you in the av, i will definately be talking to ya.

 

[mechanic_chick]

Wow..

And I never heard that one lol , jk.

Remember , I live in shilo haha.

I just need some advice from anyone in the trade , I want a good trade , I want to know what they do.

Can I still blow stuff up?   jk lol.

 

[2929]

First of all, I'm sorry... I'm really sorry that you live in Shilo. Seriously I really do feel for you.

Second, Sig Op is an excellent trade, if you like sitting in a small dark box for hours on end. Ok, ok I'll be serious. It really is an excellent trade for the right person. If you like kicking in doors and spraying trenches with bullets this is not the trade for you. Now, I am new to the trade and so far I have only done a few exercises with my unit and a little voice procedure but, from what I have done around the unit it seems to be a very technical trade that involves long and sometimes boring hours sprinkled with intense bursts of work. You will also find your self spending a lot of time maintaining the trucks, generators, electronic equipment, eating donughts, etc. Personally I have really enjoyed the experience so far. I find all the technical stuff about the radios/trucks/equipment very interesting and I really enjoy the time in the field.

On the reservist side of things Sig Ops mostly do VHF communications, HF communications (base radio), RRB (radio re-broadcast), etc. The trade is highly deployable and in demand. I can't tell you any specifics about the trade because well I don't know them, hell I'm a no hook private. My job description includes sweeping floors and taking out the garbage. All I can say is that if you are looking for an interesting, challenging, technical trade and you want to do some tours overseas, Sig Op is the trade for you.

 

[mechanic_chick]

hmmm

it does sound like the trade for me.. even though people tell me im crazy!!

Have you been to Shilo?! Seriously , this place gets worse by the second  not to  mention finding a decent guy to date! nnnoope ( works vise versa though too! )

Thanks for all that help!!

Amy

 

[2929]

Yeah, I have been to Shilo. I shared a 'room' with 25 guys for two months in that old run down school (T-100)... Five fire alarms in one day, all from the bloody shower steam. You know I think I would like Shilo a little better if I actually stayed in a place that had air conditioning/heat, showers that were not 4 million degrees, no giant holes in the walls, functioning fire alarms, no gas leaks, and so on.

As for the dating scene in Shilo... umm there isn't one. Vancouver has a nice one though.

Now back on topic... if Sig Op sounds like the trade for you go for it. You will not regret it, I have definitely not regretted it. The more I learn the more I like it. Also, you are not crazy for wanting to be a Sig Op... you are crazy if you want to be a lineman. ;D

 

[Radop]

hmmm

it does sound like the trade for me.. even though people tell me im crazy!!

Have you been to Shilo?! Seriously , this place gets worse by the second   not to   mention finding a decent guy to date! nnnoope ( works vise versa though too! )

Thanks for all that help!!

Amy

You could go over to sigs platoon in either the arty or infantry.  I have some friends that work there.  I also have some friends who work at the commcen who are pretty good.  They could give you the low down on the trade better than getting it from us on line.

 

[MOOXE]

Heres a good lesson I learned on my 1st winter ex with 1 CMBG years ago..

Bring a space heater and an extension cord to hook up to the generator when your on a winter ex

 

[Sig_Des]

Just got back from 2 weeks of leave in the Maritimes....2 weeks of not shaving, letting the hair long, and not wearing boots...very nice

ugh...everything for Sig Op Reservists always comes back to one thing...we all seem to hate to hate Shilo...

as far as a dating scene there...well, not much...you could always try climbing into the ceiling above the women's shower in L101....but that guy did fall through and get charged...

I like bringing an electric kettle with me in the pod...good for coffee, mr noodles, and it's a lot easier to cook an IMP in it than breaking out the stove.... but BEWARE, if any officers in the CP find out you have one, they will ALWAYS be at your door!

 

[meni0n]

Man that was 2 something years ago Des. Remember standing outside at 1am, not knowing wtf is going and just gotten back from a nav ex and doing drill wasn't my idea of a great time.

 

[career_radio-checker]

As a reserve sigop, expect:

-not knowing what's going on until 5 minutes notice to move... even when you're the COMMAND POST!!!  :
-lots of waiting around but ocasional intense bursts of activity;
-to be looked down upon by combat trades... except when their radios are out to lunch  :blotto:
-again, to be looked down upon by combat trades... but then you say, "enjoy your walk boys;" then throw your kit into the back of the pod and drive off;  ;D
-to fill the position of rad op / duty officer (especially at night)... a perfect time to promote yourself to general and tell c/s 1 to check on c/s 2 because "you don't have comms with them;"
-To be 3/4 of the way through your set-up when you're told to move 5ft to the left;
-officers wanting you to make their breakfast so that it is ready for them when they wake up;
-shift work, 8 hours sitting in a truck, then 16 hours lying in your cot (usually only applies when deployed with other units... and provided you got issued a cot)

Good pieces of kit to have:
-gloves
-head lamp

 

[Sig_Des]

-again, to be looked down upon by combat trades... but then you say, "enjoy your walk boys;" then throw your kit into the back of the pod and drive off;   ;D

I would actually suggest against this...Be cool to other trades, and they'll be cool to you..

I personally prefer being out with the combat arms...Good units will take care of the sigs...besides, I like going out on patrols and recces, and I love being a Pltn/Coy Sig

Man that was 2 something years ago Des. Remember standing outside at 1am, not knowing wtf is going and just gotten back from a nav ex and doing drill wasn't my idea of a great time.

I was actually the summer after that, but the stroy got around...plus my previous adj was the officer at the summary trial

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

as far as a dating scene there...well, not much...you could always try climbing into the ceiling above the women's shower in L101....but that guy did fall through and get charged...

He never fell through lol...But yes, that was quite the long night. Even I was scared I'd end up charged, and I'm a girl!
Watching half the franco platoon pass out was quite the entertainment however...

I like bringing an electric kettle with me in the pod...good for coffee, mr noodles, and it's a lot easier to cook an IMP in it than breaking out the stove.... but BEWARE, if any officers in the CP find out you have one, they will ALWAYS be at your door!

Copying my kettle idea huh, Des? lol...I still love my kettle...

 

[Sig_Des]

Bah...my year, they were THAT close to having the MP's inspect every room, because somebody stole the Franco platoons flag...

 

[PteCamp]

Bah...my year, they were THAT close to having the MP's inspect every room, because somebody stole the Franco platoons flag...

hahahaha oh yeah. I was part of the few who stole it! First night of SQ... and we were already in trouble  ;D

 

[chrisf]

As a reserve sigop, expect:

-not knowing what's going on until 5 minutes notice to move... even when you're the COMMAND POST!!!   :

Not really, usually my chain of command manages to keep us pretty informed.

-lots of waiting around but ocasional intense bursts of activity;

Depends on what you're doing, but most squadron level rad exs, true.

-to be looked down upon by combat trades... except when their radios are out to lunch   :blotto:

I've found that generally this applies to the newer guys who are still hopped up on the idea that they're the pointy end, and the life time suck holes of the combat arms trades, generally anyone who's been around a while begins to realise that everyone has a job and everyone's job is important in the great scheme of things.

-again, to be looked down upon by combat trades... but then you say, "enjoy your walk boys;" then throw your kit into the back of the pod and drive off;   ;D

Now that's you bringing it on yourself...

-to fill the position of rad op / duty officer (especially at night)... a perfect time to promote yourself to general and tell c/s 1 to check on c/s 2 because "you don't have comms with them;"

Or be tossed in the posistion of signals NCO for another unit two weeks after you were promoted to corpral (Not to mention it was also the first time I was a det commander... wasn't like there was really anything to do with only one rad det, ie mine, but I was poop-baked the whole time )

-To be 3/4 of the way through your set-up when you're told to move 5ft to the left;

QL3? Discipline?

-officers wanting you to make their breakfast so that it is ready for them when they wake up;

Keeping coffee on is actually on the SOPs I've seen for CP dets, as far as their breakfest goes, I've got no problem doing favors for people since I'll probably making some for myself anyway , but if I'm busy or I don't like said officers, they can make their own damned breakfest, it's not in my job description.

-shift work, 8 hours sitting in a truck, then 16 hours lying in your cot (usually only applies when deployed with other units... and provided you got issued a cot)

Consider cutting your shifts to four hours in a 3 man det... break up the periods of boredom, less chance of falling asleep on an overnight shift, and still plenty of opportunity to get 8 hours of sleep in day if there's no moves.

If you've got spare time, I'm sure there's plenty to do... fix up the cam, do a DI, check the gene, eat, shave, wash, clean/oil your weapon, clean and oil your tools, clean the cp, count stores for a resupply, fill your water jerries, cam your entire body and sneak about the biv site nude... all sorts of things to do.

And don't forget the old favorite, make sure you aren't and won't be running off whip, and tan on top of the pod